The World Health Organization (WHO) has extended international travel restrictions on Pakistan for another three months due to the ongoing threat of polio particularly in regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan. Despite notable progress in Pakistan anti-polio efforts the virus continues to spread raising global alarm over its potential resurgence.
This decision follows the WHO Emergency Committee 41st meeting on March 6, during which experts reviewed polio trends and the performance of affected countries. While acknowledging Pakistan intensified efforts and vaccination campaigns WHO officials highlighted significant gaps in virus containment especially at provincial and district levels.
The most pressing concern is the surge in polio-positive environmental samples. In just one year from 2023 to 2024, the number of positive samples jumped 12-fold reaching 628 by early 2025. This spike signals not only broader virus circulation but also its spread into new districts many of which previously showed no sign of contamination.
The persistence of the YB3A4A B-cluster poliovirus in hotspot cities like Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta is particularly troubling. These urban centers are now recognized as epicenters for wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), with authorities predicting increased risk during the high transmission seasons ahead.
The WHO also pointed to a troubling rise in virus transmission across borders especially between Afghanistan and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Quetta. Displaced populations and limited cross-border immunization continue to complicate eradication efforts. WHO officials have urged both Pakistan and Afghanistan to strengthen joint surveillance and intensify vaccination drives at critical points of movement.
In the current year, six cases of polio have already been confirmed in Pakistan, including a recent one in Thatta, Sindh. These add to the 74 cases reported in 2024 underscoring the urgency of sustained immunization and robust public health responses.
While the travel restrictions remain a temporary measure, they are a clear reminder that polio eradication is far from over. For Pakistan, the challenge now lies in translating its progress into sustainable results ensuring no child is missed and no virus is allowed to persist.