Pakistan's polio tally rises to 10 in 2025 with 2 new cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Peshawar, May 21 (PTI): Pakistan's total confirmed polio cases for 2025 have increased to 10 following the detection of two new cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, health authorities said on Wednesday.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad confirmed the cases in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts.
Of the 10 cases reported this year, five are from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four from Sindh, and one from Punjab.
Despite ongoing nationwide polio vaccination campaigns, certain areas, particularly in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, continue to face challenges such as restricted access and difficulties in conducting house-to-house vaccination efforts, officials said.
These operational hurdles have left thousands of children at risk of exposure to poliovirus due to missed vaccination opportunities, according to health authorities.
In some areas in Lakki Marwat, children missed vaccination during the February and April 2025 immunisation campaigns, resulting in immunity gaps.
Similarly, in UC Saintanga at Wazir tehsil in Bannu, no comprehensive vaccination campaign has been conducted since October 2023.
Additionally, a shortage of female vaccinators and gaps in monitoring have further widened immunity gaps in these regions, officials said.
The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme (PPEP) is actively engaging with stakeholders to address these challenges and enhance the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns in high-risk areas.
An intensified vaccination schedule is being implemented to interrupt virus transmission and protect children from lifelong paralysis.
The third nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2025 is set to commence on May 26, targeting over 45.4 million children under the age of five across 159 districts, including high-risk areas in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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PM Modi arrives in Ethiopia on second leg of three-nation tour
Addis Ababa (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ethiopia on Tuesday on the second leg of his three-nation tour, aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.
Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali received PM Modi at the Addis Ababa International Airport. In a unique gesture, he also drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
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"Celebrating age-old India-Ethiopia ties! Prime Minister @narendramodi arrives in Addis Ababa on his maiden bilateral visit to Ethiopia. In a special gesture, PM @AbiyAhmedAli came to personally receive him at the airport. Prime Minister was accorded a warm and colourful welcome," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on social media.
"Ethiopia is a key partner for India in the Global South and a fellow BRICS Member," he added.
Modi will be holding wide-ranging discussions with his counterpart on all aspects of India–Ethiopia bilateral ties.
“As partners in the Global South, the visit will be a reiteration of the shared commitment of the two nations to advance close ties of friendship and bilateral cooperation,” a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said before his departure from India.
In his first visit to Ethiopia, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
He will also meet the Indian diaspora during the two-day visit.
Addis Ababa is also the headquarters of the African Union.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
