Polio Outbreak in Pakistan: Challenges and Efforts Amid Militant Attacks and Vaccine-Derived Polioviruses

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The polio outbreak in Pakistan remains a significant public health challenge, exacerbated by ongoing attacks on vaccination teams. As of now, Pakistan has reported multiple new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in 2024, with the total reaching 73 cases. The first confirmed case of WPV1 in 2025 was reported from DI Khan, indicating that the outbreak continues to spread.
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Militant groups in Pakistan, particularly in regions near the Afghanistan border, have been actively targeting health workers and vaccination teams. These attacks have resulted in the deaths of several police officials and healthcare workers, further complicating polio eradication efforts. The violence against polio vaccinators is not new; it has been a persistent issue since at least 2012, with various militant factions opposing vaccination campaigns.
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Despite these challenges, there are ongoing efforts to combat the polio outbreak. The Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) has developed a National Emergency Action Plan for July 2024 to June 2025 to address these issues. The plan aims to maintain high surveillance sensitivity and implement relapse prevention strategies to sustain gains in polio eradication. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international bodies continue to urge countries to ensure timely polio detection and outbreak response.
The situation is further complicated by the presence of circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV2), which pose a risk to eradication efforts, especially in areas with low vaccination coverage. The international community, including organizations like the CDC and the Gates Foundation, continues to support Pakistan in its polio eradication initiatives by strengthening immunization systems and providing technical assistance.
In summary, while progress has been made in polio eradication, the outbreak in Pakistan persists due to ongoing militant attacks on vaccination teams and the presence of vaccine-derived polioviruses. Efforts are being made to address these challenges, but the situation remains precarious.