ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN: In a renewed push to eradicate polio from the country, the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) has announced a massive nationwide vaccination campaign starting from October 13, targeting over 45 million children under the age of five across Pakistan.
The week-long drive, running from October 13 to 19, will see more than 400,000 trained health workers fanning out across the country to ensure that every child receives the life-saving Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). Alongside the vaccine, children will also be given Vitamin A supplements to strengthen immunity and overall health.
Officials revealed that the campaign will cover every corner of the nation — from the plains of Punjab to the remote valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan. In Punjab alone, 23 million children are expected to be vaccinated, followed by 10.6 million in Sindh, 7.2 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 2.6 million in Balochistan. Additionally, 460,000 children in Islamabad, 760,000 in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and 280,000 in Gilgit-Baltistan will also be included.
Authorities have urged parents and guardians to cooperate fully with vaccination teams and ensure that no child is missed, as the polio virus remains a persistent threat. This announcement comes shortly after two new polio cases were confirmed in Sindh’s Badin and Thatta districts, raising the national total to 29 cases this year.
Health officials warned that the fight against polio is at a critical stage, emphasizing that Pakistan is among the last two countries in the world — alongside Afghanistan — where the virus remains endemic. They stressed the importance of community support, robust logistics, and security for frontline workers to make the upcoming campaign a success.
The government has also stepped up its awareness efforts to counter misinformation and vaccine hesitancy, calling on religious scholars, local influencers, and media outlets to play their part in protecting Pakistan’s future generations from this preventable disease.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.