Pakistan faces a devastating measles epidemic, with 71 children dead in just the opening four months of 2026. Sindh leads the grim statistics with 40 losses, as revealed by Sunday’s local media dispatches. Dawn’s in-depth analysis paints a dire picture of regional breakdowns and the intertwined polio threat.
Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa follow with 12 deaths apiece, and Balochistan mourns four. The period logged 4,541 infections: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa topping at 1,712, Punjab at 1,198, Sindh at 1,183, plus scattered cases in other areas including 151 in PoK and 45 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Polio compounds the emergency. Vaccine distrust fuels ongoing cases, like one in Sindh’s Sujawal this year. From 74 cases in 2024 to 31 in 2025, Sindh alone had nine last year with 80% environmental samples virus-positive. Officials hail a dip to 24% positivity, but pediatrician Khalid Shafi stresses, ‘Challenges in routine immunization persist, especially hesitancy.’ He calls for robust strategies to build trust.
Security woes escalate dangers. Polio workers endure frequent assaults, particularly in volatile zones. April 13 brought tragedy in Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where attackers fired on a police convoy, slaying one and wounding four on vaccination day one. Earlier, February’s Chaman attack killed a policeman escorting teams.
As the only nations with wild poliovirus circulation alongside Afghanistan, Pakistan’s dual epidemics demand action. Strengthening protections for health campaigns, combating misinformation, and scaling immunization are critical to averting more heartbreak and steering toward disease-free futures.
