The World Health Organization (WHO) has extended travel restrictions on Pakistan for another three months, citing a troubling rise in poliovirus cases. The decision was made during the 41st meeting of the WHO Emergency Committee held on March 6, where health officials from polio-affected countries joined via video link to assess the global threat of poliovirus transmission.
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The committee identified Pakistan and Afghanistan as the primary sources of ongoing international spread. Despite progress in anti-polio efforts, WHO declared that both countries continue to pose a serious threat to global polio eradication.
Environmental Samples Reveal Alarming Spread
A major concern raised by the committee was the drastic surge in polio-positive environmental samples in Pakistan. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of such samples increased twelvefold, reaching 628 cases in 2024 alone. This spike not only indicates widespread transmission but also signals the virus’s reach into new districts that were previously unaffected.
The resurgence of the YB3A4A B-cluster of the poliovirus is particularly worrying. The virus remains active in key provinces such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Sindh, and Balochistan, with the cities of Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta becoming major hotspots for wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). The virus has also started spreading further into central Pakistan and deeper into southern KP.
Cross-Border Transmission
The committee also underscored the risk posed by cross-border transmission between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The flow of displaced populations and refugees between the two nations—particularly from southern KP and the Quetta block—has facilitated the continued spread of WPV1.
Additionally, WHO highlighted Afghanistan’s low immunization rates as a growing concern, noting that the lack of polio vaccination among Afghan children could further threaten Pakistan’s public health efforts.
Areas for Improvement
While WHO acknowledged improvements in Pakistan’s polio eradication campaigns and expressed confidence in their quality, it emphasized that critical gaps remain at the provincial and district levels. The organization recommended enhanced immunization efforts, especially in high-risk and hard-to-reach areas.
The WHO also called for more rigorous vaccination protocols at Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossings and urged simultaneous anti-polio campaigns in both countries. Strengthening bilateral cooperation between Islamabad and Kabul was seen as essential to halting the virus’s spread across the region.
Travel Requirements and Future Review
As part of the extended restrictions, all individuals traveling abroad from Pakistan must continue to show proof of polio vaccination. The travel curbs, originally imposed in May 2014, remain a key international measure to prevent further exportation of the virus.
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The WHO will re-evaluate Pakistan’s polio situation after the three-month extension to determine whether any further measures are needed. In the meantime, the country is under pressure to not only sustain its current efforts but also intensify its campaign in vulnerable and newly affected districts