Pakistan to Vaccinate Over 31 Million Children in September
News Desk
Islamabad: Pakistan will vaccinate more than 31 million children under five during a nationwide sub-national polio campaign scheduled for September 21–27, the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) said.
The campaign will cover 115 high-risk districts across Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh, with teams focusing on areas identified as vulnerable to poliovirus transmission.
Vaccination activities will also be synchronized with a parallel campaign in Afghanistan to strengthen efforts to stop the cross-border spread of poliovirus.
Ahead of the drive, Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq held a briefing for health journalists at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). PEI officials and technical experts provided updates on preparations, surveillance results and measures aimed at ensuring that every eligible child is reached.
More than 273,000 frontline workers will take part in the campaign to improve population immunity and address vaccination gaps in high-risk and hotspot areas.
Pakistan has recorded four confirmed wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases so far in 2026, with three reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one in Sindh. Further detections through acute flaccid paralysis and environmental surveillance have highlighted the need for sustained vaccination coverage, strong surveillance and rapid response.
The PEI also stressed that polio campaigns should complement routine immunization. Oral polio vaccine administered during campaigns provides additional protection against poliovirus, while routine immunization protects children against a wider range of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Farooq urged parents and caregivers to cooperate with vaccination teams and ensure their children under five receive polio drops during the campaign, even if they have been vaccinated in previous rounds.
She said the September campaign provides an important opportunity to reach millions of children in high-risk areas and strengthen immunity against poliovirus.
During the briefing programme, health journalists also visited the Polio Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health, where they were briefed on poliovirus testing, environmental surveillance and laboratory procedures used to guide programme decisions and outbreak responses.
The PEI called on parents, caregivers and communities to support vaccination teams and ensure every child under five receives the vaccine, emphasizing that participation in every campaign is vital to protecting children and achieving a polio-free Pakistan.
