Another case of polio virus has been detected in Drazinda, a merged tehsil in Dera Ismail Khan.

The latest case has taken the tehsil’s total number of cases to 11. According to the district health officer, the vaccination campaign in the area was severely hampered by terrorism.

Terrorism has targeted polio vaccination workers and security forces alike over the past year, hampering effective vaccination efforts and affecting morale.

Pakistan recorded 71 cases of polio virus in 2024, its highest total in three years. It is one of only two countries in the world where the virus is still endemic despite large-scale efforts to vaccinate the population

While vaccine hesitancy has several different aspects across the country, including religious arguments, terrorism has emerged as a key factor in preventing vaccination drives from taking place over the last year.

Security forces have been regularly deployed to protect polio workers as they perform their duties. However, at least 33 polio workers and security personnel were killed in terrorist attacks in 2024 alone.

In one instance in Bajaur in September 2024, police announced that it would boycott polio security duties after persistent attacks and threats from terrorists.