The World Health Organisation (WHO) has extended travel restrictions on Pakistan for another three months. The restrictions have been implemented due to concerns over polio. The decision was made during the WHO Emergency Committee’s 41st meeting which was held on March 6, 2025. Several authorities from polio-affected countries joined the meeting virtually. The committee reviewed the global spread of polio, the situation in Pakistan, and the government’s efforts to control the spread of the virus, stated the WHO. According to WHO, Pakistan is one of three remaining polio-endemic countries in the world, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria.
What Does The Finding Say?
The findings of the committee highlighted that Pakistan and Afghanistan are the countries that continue to pose a threat to polio eradication efforts being made globally. Additionally, these two nations have been held responsible for the global spread of the poliovirus.
Apart from these findings, there was also a good news for Pakistan in the meeting, as the WHO expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s anti-polio initiatives. However, the committee asserted that there is still room for improvement at the provincial and district levels.
Surge In Polio Cases In Pakistan
Notably, there has been a surge in polio-positive environmental samples in Pakistan, with a 12-fold rise in cases reported between 2023 and 2024. Around 628 polio-positive environmental samples were reported in Pakistan in 2025. The new districts have also been impacted by the poliovirus. If we talk about the number of cases that have been reported in Pakistan in 2025 so far, the tally reaches to 6 confirmed cases. 74 polio cases were reported in Pakistan last year.
The active circulation of the YB3A4A B-cluster of the poliovirus remains a concern in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan. Moreover, Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta have become hotspots for the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). This strand continues to spread in central parts of Pakistan and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Furthermore, the WHO voiced concern over the spread of WPV1 in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The organisation highlighted that the virus is now confined to two nations globally. WHO questioned the immunisation standards in Pakistan, as the virus spread during the low transmission season also.
The WHO has asked Pakistan to ensure effective campaigns in vulnerable regions to address surge in polio cases. It also mentioned about continuous cross-border transmission between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Vaccination efforts have been asked to increase further.
WHO Efforts In Polio Eradication
WHO, working alongside GPEI partners, has been providing technical support to the polio eradication programme in Pakistan at federal, provincial and district level. This includes support to surveillance, cold chain management, training of more than 300,000 frontline workers and health managers, reporting and data management, operations and communications.
