Pakistan, sewage samples test positive for poliovirus

Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been detected in wastewater samples from 26 districts of Pakistan, according to an official at the country’s regional reference laboratory for polio eradication. The presence of positive environmental samples indicates that poliovirus is circulating in the area, putting children at risk of contracting this debilitating disease. Pakistan is considered one of the last two countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. Officials have confirmed a ‘significant resurgence of WPV1’ in Pakistan, with 73 cases reported in 2024: 27 from Balochistan, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 22 from Sindh and one each from Punjab and Islamabad. Global efforts to eradicate the virus in the country face significant challenges, including security concerns, vaccine hesitancy, and community misinformation. Last month, the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), which includes experts from WHO, UNICEF, CDC, the Gates Foundation, Rotary International, GAVI, and USAID, held a three-day meeting to review the polio eradication programme in Pakistan. The meeting concluded that providing adequate support to polio teams and achieving full immunisation coverage is pivotal to eradicating polio by 2025. The first national polio immunisation programme is scheduled to begin on 3 February and last for one week.