45 Million Children Targeted in Pakistan’s Polio Campaign

News Desk 

Islamabad: Pakistan has kicked off its first polio vaccination campaign of the year, aiming to protect 45 million children under five, as part of the country’s final push to eliminate polio. 

The week-long campaign will run from February 2 to 8 across 159 districts nationwide.

The campaign was inaugurated at CDA Rawal Town Dispensary in Islamabad by the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, alongside Canadian High Commissioner Tariq Ali Khan, WHO Representative Dr Luo Dapeng, UNICEF Representative Pernille Ironside, and local government officials.Since its launch in 1994, Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) has reduced polio cases by 99.8 percent—from an estimated 20,000 annually to just 31 cases reported in 2025. 

The success has been attributed to sustained house-to-house campaigns and the dedication of over 400,000 frontline health workers mobilized nationwide for every campaign.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/another-polio-drive-begins-in-pakistan-testing-state-capacity/

Farooq emphasized the critical stage of polio eradication, stating, “Every campaign and every child counts. Each child vaccinated strengthens protection and helps stop the virus from spreading. Success requires the support of the entire society—parents, caregivers, community leaders, educators, media, and influencers.”During the launch, the delegation administered polio drops to children and visited Islamabad Model School for Girls, Rawal Town G-5, to engage with students and demonstrate vaccination procedures.

The government and polio eradication partners reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a polio-free Pakistan as the country enters the final phase of eradication.