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Polio Resurgence in Hyderabad: 12,000 Children Miss Vaccines in 2025

Hyderabad in Pakistan's Sindh province has failed to achieve polio-free status in 2025, with over 12,000 children missing vaccinations during the final nationwide campaign. Health officials report the persistent detection of wild poliovirus in environmental samples, marking the 11th consecutive year of its presence in the region. The setback is attributed to administrative indifference, lack of accountability, and ongoing challenges like security threats and vaccine hesitancy. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries where polio is still endemic, with health workers frequently targeted in attacks.

Key Points: Hyderabad Fails Polio-Free Status in 2025 Amid Vaccination Gaps

  • 12,092 children unvaccinated
  • Poliovirus detected for 11th straight year
  • Official negligence and public resistance
  • Security threats to health workers
2 min read

Hyderabad in Pakistan's Sindh Province fails to achieve polio-free status in 2025

Hyderabad, Sindh, remains polio-endemic with over 12,000 children unvaccinated in 2025, highlighting official negligence and public resistance in Pakistan.

"Continuous indifference by health department officials has once again affected efforts to eliminate polio from the district. — Official Sources"

Islamabad, Jan 2

Hyderabad region of Pakistan's Sindh has not been able to achieve polio-free status in 2025, with over 12,000 children missing vaccination during the final nationwide campaign in 2025, sparking concerns over official negligence and public resistance, local media reported.

Continuous indifference by health department officials has once again affected efforts to eliminate polio from the district, according to official sources. As many as 12,092 children aged below the age of five were left unvaccinated even after the last nationwide anti-polio campaign was conducted in 2025 amid the confirmed presence of the virus, Pakistan's leading daily The Express Tribune reported.

Health officials said that Hyderabad reported the presence of poliovirus for the 11th consecutive time in 2025. Based on environmental sewage samples collected in Pakistan, Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, revealed that Wild Poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was detected in Hyderabad during November, similar to several other cities across the country.

According to the report, the persistent presence of the poliovirus poses a threat to health of children and parents were asked to remain vigilant and ensure repeated doses of the polio vaccine for their children and complete immunisation schedules on time to protect them from polio and other preventable diseases.

Previously, Hyderabad achieved polio-free status due to effective administrative measures and environmental samples had revealed no trace of the virus. Over the past several years, the lack of effective anti-polio campaigns along with lack of accountability against negligent health officials and field staff has allowed the virus to regain a permanent foothold in the district.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where Wild Poliovirus remains endemic. Polio eradication efforts in Pakistan have slowed down due to challenges like security issues, vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.

Polio workers have been frequently targetted in attacks in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. A police constable, who was deployed for the security of the polio vaccination team, was shot dead after unidentified assailants opened fire in the Kaahi area of Nizampur in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 15.

Police identified the constable as Maqsood (35), a resident of Kheshgi. Police spokesperson said that the incident happened when female health workers were administering polio drops to children in a house, The Express Tribune reported. The attackers fled from the spot after the incident and the authorities launched a search operation to arrest them.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a parent, this is terrifying. Polio is a preventable disease. The article mentions vaccine hesitancy and misinformation – this is a global problem. Communities need to trust science. My heart goes out to the families and the brave health workers risking their lives.
V
Vikram M
Very sad news. India's polio campaign was a massive success story because of relentless door-to-door efforts and public awareness. The lack of accountability for officials mentioned here is the root cause. Until that is fixed, the virus will keep coming back.
R
Rohit P
This affects everyone. Viruses don't respect borders. While we have our own health challenges, we should support any international effort to eradicate polio completely. The shooting of a police constable protecting health workers is just tragic and unacceptable.
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Priya S
It's frustrating to read. They had achieved polio-free status before! It shows that constant vigilance is needed. You can't just declare victory and walk away. The health department needs to own this failure and get back on track for the sake of the children.
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Karthik V
A respectful criticism: The article focuses on official negligence, which is valid, but also glosses over the "public resistance" mentioned in the intro. Tackling deep-seated mistrust in communities is perhaps the harder, longer-term battle. Without community buy-in, even the best officials will fail.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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