ISLAMABAD, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has reported two additional cases of polio, following recent detection of the virus in two children from the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the Ministry of National Health Services said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the ministry, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad confirmed the presence of the poliovirus in stool samples collected from the affected children in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts.
With the latest detections, the total number of polio cases in KP has risen to five this year, bringing the national tally to 10 in 2025.
The ministry said that while high-quality nationwide polio vaccination campaigns have been conducted, some regions still face tough challenges, particularly in KP.
Restricted access and difficulties in conducting house-to-house vaccinations have hampered efforts, leaving thousands of children at risk of exposure to the poliovirus due to missed vaccination opportunities.
The ministry announced that the third nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2025 will begin on May 26 to address this. The campaign aims to immunize children under the age of five across 159 districts, including high-risk areas in KP. ■