Years of hard work and relentless vaccination campaigns have finally brought Pakistan to a point where it can taste optimism. According to news reports, Data from Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Programme shows that the majority of the environmental samples collected during the first two months of 2026 have tested negative for the poliovirus; 111 out of 126 environmental samples collected across the country tested negative in February. A further comparison between the first two months of 2025 and the same period this year shows more than a threefold reduction in the number of positive environmental samples. This is a big relief for a country that has been fighting against polio for far too long and saw the resurgence of the stubborn virus after having eradicated it from the country. Of course, the challenge is far from being over.
While recent reports do call for celebrations, experts also fear that current Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions could create an opportunity for the virus to rebound during the upcoming high-transmission season, which may begin next month. It merits a mention that Afghanistan is one of the two countries where polio is still endemic (Pakistan is the other one). Tensions between two nations, especially during war, often lead to sudden, large-scale population movements. Untracked and unvaccinated children moving through informal crossings create blind spots where the virus can circulate undetected. Given the severity of the situation, it is highly unlikely that the two countries could have a united front in their fight against the virus. Any cooperation regarding screening or vaccination is now a distant possibility. The authorities concerned need a clear plan for how things will move forward.
The data tell us the country is on the right path. Last year, it recorded 31 polio cases, an almost 58 per cent drop from the 74 cases recorded in 2024. Much of this success is due to our unsung heroes: polio workers and the police teams who escort them. Pakistan’s polio campaigns are nothing short of a death trap. Militants in some areas see such exercises as attempts to locate their hideouts. To discourage people from participating in such campaigns, such miscreants have carried out fatal attacks against polio workers for too long. But the determination and resolve of workers and the undying commitment of our police officers, including the martyrs, are now beginning to yield dividends. The government and the healthcare authorities should also be commended for their work against the virus. But this period of jubilation should not distract the authorities. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done. Vaccine hesitancy is still a problem here, and with the mention of polio in some of the controversial files released in the US, most people are now looking at such foreign-supported campaigns with scepticism. Gaining trust at such a point is an absolute necessity. We can only hope that the government has an exhaustive plan to confidently remove all the hurdles it faces in its fight against polio.
