Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vows to end polio in Pakistan

In brief

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that the government of Pakistan will continue its efforts until polio is eliminated from the country's borders.

In 2024, the last recorded polio victim of the year was a young girl. During that year, Balochistan Province had 27 cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 22, and Sindh with 21. Punjab and Islamabad each recorded one case.

Polio is a viral infection that can cause irreversible paralysis, and the risk of transmission increases when people lack access to clean water. Pakistan has dealt with the virus since the 1970s, leading to the launch of an immunization program in 1978.