Mustafa Kamal, Pakistan’s Federal Health Minister, has announced plans to visit Kabul to strengthen cross-border cooperation with Afghanistan on polio vaccination.
During a meeting held on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, to discuss key challenges related to polio, the minister emphasized the Pakistani government’s strong political and operational commitment to fighting the disease.
Pakistan’s Health Minister described polio eradication as “not just a program but a national mission” and added that coordinated efforts to combat the disease are underway in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
According to official statistics, at least 11 positive polio cases have been reported in Pakistan and two in Afghanistan since the beginning of the current year.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where polio has not been completely eradicated.
The Pakistani Health Minister recently acknowledged that Afghanistan is ahead in its polio eradication efforts and might achieve this goal before Pakistan.
Official data shows that last year, 74 cases were reported in Pakistan and 25 in Afghanistan.
