Five environmental samples collected in Karachi have tested positive for poliovirus, Pakistan's Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Sheheryar Memon confirmed on Wednesday, raising alarm over virus circulation during what is typically a low-transmission season. The disclosure came at a consultation held at the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology (SICHN), bringing together senior health officials, paediatricians, and international health bodies.

Key Developments in Karachi

Speaking at the SICHN session, Memon stressed the urgent need for intensified response efforts, warning that virus persistence during off-peak months signals a deeper structural problem. "Virus circulation during a typically low transmission season remains a serious concern," leading Pakistani daily Dawn quoted him as saying.

The consultation brought together senior paediatricians from across Karachi, along with experts from UNICEF, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, N-STOP, the Pakistan Paediatric Association, and the Pakistan Medical Association. A WHO representative identified as George noted that strategies that proved effective in Africa were being adopted to interrupt transmission in Pakistan.

Cases Also Confirmed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Last week, two new wild poliovirus cases were confirmed in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province — one in Bannu and another in North Waziristan — bringing the country's total reported cases since the start of 2025 to three, according to local media. An official of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Dawn that the cases were confirmed by the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication (NEOC) and verified by the WHO-accredited Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Attacks on Vaccination Teams

The health crisis is compounded by security threats to frontline workers. Last month, police escorts were reportedly killed and polio workers abducted in attacks in KP's Hangu and Bannu districts, as well as parts of Balochistan. The attacks occurred during a nationwide immunisation drive to administer polio drops, severely disrupting outreach efforts.

Vaccine Refusals and Governance Failures

Beyond security, vaccine refusals remain a significant barrier. Karachi alone accounted for approximately 31,000 refusals — nearly 58% of the national total, according to reports. Experts and observers have raised questions about the role of misinformation, weak planning, poor local governance, and a lack of political focus in Pakistan's largest city. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries in the world where polio cases are still being reported, underscoring the scale of the challenge ahead.

With international health bodies now actively sharing Africa-tested intervention models, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether Pakistan can arrest transmission before the high-season window opens.