Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan has begun its second nationwide polio vaccination drive of the year, with an ambitious target to immunise more than 45 million children under the age of five by April 19.
Running through April 19, the campaign is being executed by more than 400,000 frontline health workers who are going door-to-door across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and federal capital Islamabad to administer polio drops to every eligible child. Alongside the vaccine, Vitamin A supplements are also being provided to help strengthen immunity among children.
Polio Programme chief Anwarul Haq noted that the country has recorded significant progress in curbing the virus, pointing out that polio was detected in 23 districts in 2026 compared to 82 districts in 2025.
He further added that environmental surveillance has shown a sharp improvement, with positive samples dropping from 651 to just 40.
However, challenges remain as Pakistan reported 31 confirmed polio cases in 2025, while a case has already been recorded this year from Sujawal in Sindh, underscoring that transmission has not yet been fully interrupted.
In a message regarding the campaign, First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari also called for nationwide participation and responsibility, saying the country stands at a critical turning point where ensuring every child is reached will determine the success of the eradication campaign.
Earlier, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq said the country is now “closer than ever” to eliminating polio, but stressed that this remains a decisive and sensitive phase in which complete vaccination coverage is essential for every child under five.
She urged parents across the country to fully cooperate with vaccination teams, stressing that polio is incurable but can be entirely prevented through repeated immunisation efforts.