A extensive anti-polio campaign began across Pakistan on Monday, targeting the vaccination of more than 28 million children under five years of age. The National Polio Eradication Programme is conducting the drive across 99 districts, with over 240,000 frontline workers deployed to administer the crucial Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). The campaign spans all regions, including Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the federal capital, Islamabad.
The urgency of this campaign is heightened by a recent surge in cases, which has brought the national total for 2025 to 23 confirmed infections. The majority of these cases, 15, are from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, which has launched the first phase of its drive in 19 districts. Health officials have also highlighted that children in flood-affected districts face an even greater risk of contracting polio and other preventable diseases, making vaccination critical.
Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can lead to permanent paralysis. Health authorities stress that the only effective defense is through repeated vaccination during every campaign round, coupled with the timely completion of a child’s routine immunization schedule. Despite significant progress in the past, the persistent detection of the virus, particularly in southern KP, indicates that children in hard-to-reach areas or with low vaccine acceptance remain vulnerable.
The success of the eradication effort is framed as a collective responsibility. While health workers are on the front lines delivering the vaccines, parents and caregivers are urged to ensure their children receive every recommended dose. Communities are called upon to actively support the campaign by countering misinformation and encouraging vaccination, which is essential to finally eliminating the virus from Pakistan.
