ISLAMABAD: In a renewed effort to eradicate polio from the country, the Government of Pakistan has announced the launch of a nationwide polio vaccination campaign beginning October 13, which will run until October 19.
According to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), the campaign aims to immunise more than 45 million children under the age of five across the country. The drive will also include the administration of additional doses of vitamin A to enhance immunity in children.
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More than 400,000 frontline health workers and volunteers will participate in the campaign, going door-to-door to ensure no child is left unvaccinated.
Breakdown of regional targets includes:
- Punjab: Over 23 million children
- Sindh: Over 16 million children
- Balochistan: Over 2.6 million children
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Over 7.2 million children
- Islamabad: Over 460,000 children
- Azad Jammu and Kashmir: Over 760,000 children
- Gilgit-Baltistan: Over 280,000 children
The campaign comes amid rising concerns about a surge in polio cases. According to the latest data from NEOC, 23 polio cases have been reported in Pakistan so far this year. In response, authorities had already launched a national campaign on September 1, followed by a focused vaccination drive in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beginning September 15, where the virus remains more prevalent.
To strengthen efforts, more than 28 million children were targeted across 99 high-risk districts during the previous campaign. Officials have stressed the importance of rigorous monitoring and community engagement to ensure the effectiveness of these initiatives.
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Health officials are urging parents to ensure their children receive polio drops during the upcoming drive, reiterating the government’s firm commitment to fully eradicating the crippling disease.
Polio remains a serious health threat in Pakistan, one of the few countries in the world where the virus is still endemic. The ongoing national campaigns are part of a broader strategy to interrupt virus transmission and safeguard future generations.