Pakistan tells global watchdog polio eradication is within reach as insecurity in KP remains biggest hurdle

Pakistan has reported significant progress in its fight against polio, claiming a 99.8% reduction in cases since the 1990s. During a meeting with the Independent Monitoring Board in Geneva, officials highlighted that polio cases have dropped from 74 in 2024 to just three in 2026.

However, they acknowledged that insecurity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains a major challenge to reaching all children with vaccinations. The government emphasized the need for continued efforts to eliminate the virus completely, as failure to do so could reverse years of progress in polio eradication.