Polio vaccination: A vital shield to protect children from a crippling disease
PESHAWAR (APP): Every evening, Sajjad Khan gently pushes his 13-year-old daughter Kashmala’s wheelchair to a nearby playground in Dheri Ishaq village, Nowshera after she was paralyzed for life by the polio disease.
As she watches other children play Frisbee sports, and laugh freely, she too stretches out her hands, trying to join in the fun. But polio has robbed her of mobility — and a normal childhood.
“When she tries to catch the Frisbee and falls from her wheelchair, it breaks my heart,” Sajjad shared, his eyes brimming with sorrow. “At the age of three, she had a high fever, vomiting, and pain in her limbs. Doctors at Government Hospital Nowshera confirmed it was polio and that since then, life changed forever.”
A decade has passed, but Sajjad still carries the weight of regret of not vaccinating her. “We believed the rumors against polio drops. If only we hadn’t, my daughter might have been healthy today.”
Kashmala’s story is not an isolated case. According to the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one polio case has already been reported in 2025 from Dera Ismail Khan. In 2024, 73 children were paralyzed by the virus — a sharp rise compared to six cases in 2023 and 20 in 2022.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan remain the most vulnerable, with 22 and 27 cases respectively reported last year. Despite progress in previous years — including a hopeful report of just one case in 2021 — the resurgence underscores the need for continued vigilance.
“Polio is a highly contagious virus that attacks the nervous system, especially in malnourished children under five,” explained Dr. Malik Riaz, head of the children’s department at Government Hospital Pabbi Nowshera.
“It spreads through the fecal-oral route and can lead to permanent paralysis or even death.”
He emphasized that the anti-polio vaccine is a safe and effective tool, preventing 2 to 3 million deaths globally each year. “Improved vaccine coverage can save an additional two million children.”
“One of the major challenges remains vaccine refusal, fueled by misconceptions and illiteracy,” said Ziaur Rehman, spokesperson for the Pakistan Polio Eradication Program, noting that while cases have risen, there has also been great progress in reducing the virus’s genetic diversity.
“In 2020, there were 12 genetic clusters of poliovirus in Pakistan. Today, only two remain — YB3A4A and YB3A4B,” he said. “We even eradicated the indigenous YB3C variant in 2023.”
Out of 126 positive environmental samples collected in 2023, none showed signs of the YB3C cluster in the last 15 months — a sign that the fight against polio is advancing.
Encouraged by the Technical Advisory Group’s acknowledgment in January 2025, Pakistan has intensified its immunization efforts.
A five-day anti-polio campaign in KP launched on Friday aims to vaccinate over 6.5 million children, deploying 35,460 trained teams with the support of 50,000 security personnel.
Health Advisor Ehtesham Ali praised the collaboration between the government departments and law enforcement, stating, “We are strengthening the immunization system not just for polio, but for 12 other preventable diseases.
He urged parents and guardians to welcome health workers into their homes and ensure their children receive polio drops. “This is about safeguarding our future,” he added.
To further bolster healthcare access, the government, in collaboration with a local organization, has launched a project to upgrade 35 health centers across Bannu and D.I. Khan. These centers will offer immunization, maternal health care, and treatment for common illnesses.
With only Pakistan and Afghanistan remaining as polio-endemic countries, the world is watching the success of polio eradication efforts. The path to eradication is clear — but it requires collective will, community awareness, and above all, trust in polio vaccines being safe in all aspects.
For children like Kashmala, the battle is already lost. But for millions of others, the vaccine remains a powerful shield against a disease that should have been consigned to history long ago. Together, we can win the fight against polio.
