Nationwide anti-polio vaccination campaign kicks off tomorrow

Last week, Islamabad reported its first case of poliovirus in 16 years, bringing this year's national tally to 17

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Pakistan is set to launch a nationwide anti-polio campaign on September 9 (tomorrow), targeting children under five years of age.

The initiative aims to administer polio drops to millions of children to curb the spread of the disease.

In preparation for the major immunisation drive, several district administrations have already begun local polio vaccination efforts.

These drives set the stage for a larger campaign organised by the health department, scheduled for Monday.

In Punjab, the week-long campaign will focus on vaccinating 13.9 million children in key districts such as Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad.

Other districts, including Attock, Chakwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and others, will hold a five-day campaign to vaccinate children.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has constituted over 35,000 polio teams to carry out door-to-door vaccinations, ensuring every child under five receives the polio drops.

In Sindh, the drive will span a week and aim to reach 9.4 million children across 30 districts, including Hyderabad. Meanwhile, in Balochistan, more than 11,000 teams have been formed for the week-long vaccination effort.

The Provincial Coordinator of the Emergency Operation Center has called on parents, media, and citizens to actively support the campaign to make it a success and protect the future generation from polio.

National tally hits 17

Islamabad has reported its first case of poliovirus in 16 years, bringing the total number of cases in Pakistan this year to 17, officials confirmed.

The newly reported case comes from Islamabad’s Union Council Rural 4, near Sangjani Toll Plaza, according to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio at the National Institute of Health. The victim is an eight-year-old boy, marking the city’s first polio case since 2008.

In addition to the confirmed wild poliovirus (WPV1) cases, the virus has been detected in environmental samples from 64 districts across all four provinces, indicating the presence of WPV1 in these areas.

A senior laboratory official noted that since June, environmental samples from both Islamabad and Rawalpindi have tested positive for WPV1, highlighting the persistent threat the virus poses to children's health.