Fri Feb 28 07:33:11 UTC 2025: ## Pakistan Reports Two New Polio Cases, Setting Back Eradication Efforts
**Islamabad, February 28, 2025** – Pakistan has reported two new cases of polio, one each in Sindh and Punjab provinces, marking a setback in the country’s ongoing efforts to eradicate the disease. This brings the total number of polio cases in Pakistan to five this year, according to Geo News, citing the National Institute of Health (NIH). This is the third case in Sindh and the first in Punjab in 2025.
Last year, Pakistan saw a total of 74 polio cases. The resurgence highlights the ongoing challenges in achieving polio eradication, particularly given the success of a recent nationwide vaccination campaign that reached 99% of its target, vaccinating over 45 million children.
The persistence of polio in Pakistan and Afghanistan is attributed to parental refusal of the vaccine, fueled by misinformation campaigns that falsely link the vaccine to sterilization. Despite the challenges, Pakistan continues its anti-polio vaccination program, conducting multiple mass vaccination drives and offering free vaccinations through its Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). The government continues to work to overcome resistance to vaccination and ensure all children under five receive the necessary polio vaccines.
First Piper 