PMA Demands Security Cover as Polio Tally Reaches Seven
- Suggested slug: pma-polio-security-demand-seven-cases-october-2026
- Category: Health
- Focus keyphrase: Pakistan polio cases 2026
- SEO title: PMA Seeks Security Cover as Polio Tally Hits Seven
- Meta description: Pakistan has recorded seven polio cases in 2026, doctors say, as the PMA demands high-security protection for vaccination teams after attacks.
- Tags: polio Pakistan, World Polio Day, Pakistan Medical Association, polio vaccination, Ayesha Raza Farooq, Rotary International, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh
- Original element: own data point: Feature Pakistan reported Pakistan’s sixth polio case of 2026 in Khyber; the tally has since risen to seven, and this draft adds the PMA security demand and the PM aide’s statement, which the earlier Rotary-only draft did not carry
- Sources: Dawn (https://www.dawn.com/news/2039605/pms-aide-vows-full-polio-eradication-as-this-years-tally-stands-at-seven)
- Date: Saturday, 24 October 2026 (World Polio Day events; reported in Dawn’s 25 October edition)
Pakistan has recorded seven wild poliovirus cases in 2026, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) said on World Polio Day, as doctors pressed for high-security protection for vaccination teams after a string of attacks on frontline workers.
PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said five of the seven cases were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two in Sindh. He said the country stood at a decisive juncture in its public health history, with localised transmission still active in pockets of both provinces.
The PMA condemned attacks on door-to-door workers and their security detail, including a September attack in Balochistan in which two police constables protecting a polio team died. It demanded that all provincial governments immediately place health personnel, door-to-door teams and immunisation centres under high-security protection frameworks.
PM aide points to sharp fall in cases
Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq said Pakistan had recorded a 99.8 per cent reduction in polio cases over the past three decades. She said the positivity rate of environmental samples for poliovirus had declined to below 10 per cent.
The tally has moved since the sixth case
The figure of seven marks a step up from the position earlier in the year. Feature Pakistan reported Pakistan’s sixth polio case of 2026 in Khyber during the national polio campaign that set out to reach every child under five.
That baseline makes the new tally concrete: six cases became seven, with five in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two in Sindh.
Rotary International also reaffirmed its support on World Polio Day, noting that it has contributed more than US$3 billion to the global fight and helped protect over 45 million children in Pakistan. Rotary’s Pakistan National PolioPlus Committee chair Aziz Memon said Pakistan was demonstrating strong progress with only a handful of cases this year.
Rawalpindi event honours frontline workers
In Rawalpindi, Pakistan Test cricketer Sajid Khan joined Punjab Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz and the EOC team at a local college to mark World Polio Day under the theme “Shukriya Frontline Workers”. Sajid Khan encouraged parents to ensure their children under five receive polio drops during every campaign, and called on young people to promote awareness and counter misinformation.
Parvaiz said Punjab had made significant progress in reducing the risk of polio transmission, with no polio cases reported in the province in 2026 to date. He stressed, however, that continued vigilance was essential, since the virus remained a threat and could reach any community through population movement.
Why security has become central
The PMA demand links two problems that have shadowed the programme for years: missed children and unsafe working conditions. Teams cannot reach every child if they cannot work safely, and each attack risks leaving a neighbourhood uncovered in the next round.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has rolled out an ambitious immunisation drive to close those gaps, while Punjab has approved Rs45 billion in health projects that include support for public health work. The PMA argument is that such investment only pays off if the workers who deliver the drops are protected.
For parents, the point stays simple: the vaccine is free, given in every campaign round, and a child who misses one round stays exposed until the next.
Frequently asked questions
How many polio cases has Pakistan reported in 2026?
Seven wild poliovirus cases as of October 2026: five in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two in Sindh.
What is the PMA demanding?
High-security protection frameworks for health personnel, door-to-door teams and immunisation centres, after attacks on vaccination workers and their security detail.
Which provinces have reported cases this year?
Five in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two in Sindh. Punjab has reported none in 2026 to date.
