Polio drive reaches over 43.7 million children across Pakistan
Polio campaign conducted in four provinces partwise [Source:EOC]
The National Polio Eradication Campaign is continuing robustly on its final day, having successfully administered polio drops to over 43.7 million children across Pakistan in the first six days, according to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC).
Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, stated, “Protecting children from polio is a shared responsibility, and I urge all parents and caregivers to open their doors to vaccinators and ensure their children receive the lifesaving drops that protect them from a lifelong, paralyzing disease”.
The nationwide effort saw a massive response from all regions. In Punjab, more than 23 million children were vaccinated, while Sindh protected over 10.4 million. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa recorded over 6.1 million vaccinations, and Balochistan inoculated over 2.58 million children.
The campaign also extended to the federal and regional territories. Islamabad administered drops to over 466,000 children, Azad Jammu and Kashmir to over 733,000, and Gilgit-Baltistan to approximately 294,000 children.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the overall performance of the polio campaign satisfactory, noting a significant improvement in the coverage of previously missed children.
Thank you Pakistan for reaffirming at #EMR72 that the country "stands ready to work with all member states and WHO to build a climate-resilient, low-carbon and equitable health future for all." @WHO stands with Pakistan to tackle together climate-driven public health threats. pic.twitter.com/lRfC4cKkP1
Authorities have reiterated that protecting the nation's future from polio is a national responsibility. The NEOC emphasised the crucial role of parents and guardians, urging them to ensure every child under five receives these essential drops.
Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, launched in 1994, has helped reduce the annual number of polio cases by 99.6%, from an estimated 20,000 annual cases to 74 in 2024 – and 29 so far this year, reported NEOC.
.@WHO Regional Committee EMRO:
PM’s Focal Person for Polio @AyeshaRaza13 highlighted that Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.6% since the 1990s & reminded us that “we have the historic opportunity to make paralytic polio the second disease to be eradicated worldwide.” #EMRC72 pic.twitter.com/2ZZ3WN8bbE
A follow-up campaign in Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is scheduled to begin on October 20.
The Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative, NEOC and partners, launched a week-long polio vaccination campaign on October 13 to vaccinate over 45 million children in 159 districts across the country as part of ongoing efforts to protect all children from paralytic polio.
NEOC mobilized over 400,000 trained vaccinators for the fourth national polio campaign this year. Though the campaign will end Today across all other parts of the country, it will run between 20 and 23 October in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The campaign came at a critical time when poliovirus resurgence affected 29 children so far this year. Moreover, recent widespread flooding across Pakistan has disrupted sanitation systems, displaced families, and hindered health services for affected populations, increasing the risk of poliovirus transmission due to stagnant water and moving populations.
NEOC encouraged the public to contact the polio teams at 1166 or via WhatsApp at 0346-7776546 for any queries or to report a missed child.