7-day anti-polio drive kicks off in 115 districts of Pakistan to vaccinate 31 million children

Islamabad (Web Desk): A week-long sub-national anti-polio vaccination campaign has started in 115 districts across the country, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) for Polio Eradication said on Monday.

According to the official statement, the nationwide sub-national immunisation drive will continue from Monday to Sunday in 115 districts across Pakistan.

During the campaign, more than 31 million children under five years of age will be administered anti-polio drops.

The vaccination targets have been divided among the provinces and regions, with 10.6 million children to be covered across 13 districts of Punjab, 10 million across 30 districts of Sindh, 7.3 million in 37 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 2.3 million in 32 districts of Balochistan. In Islamabad, health teams will seek to vaccinate 447,000 children, while 137,000 children in two districts of Gilgit-Baltistan are also included in the campaign.

The NEOC said more than 273,000 polio workers would be deployed nationwide to carry out the vaccination campaign. Parents have been encouraged to cooperate with the teams and ensure their children receive the vaccine to help safeguard their health.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are currently the only two countries where polio remains endemic. Pakistani health authorities have coordinated the latest vaccination campaign with similar efforts in Afghanistan to help reduce the risk of the virus spreading across the border.

The NEOC said vaccination teams would continue visiting households, including those in difficult and challenging areas, to reach as many children as possible. Authorities have urged parents to ensure that every child below the age of five receives polio drops during the campaign.

Earlier on Saturday, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal inaugurated the anti-polio campaign by administering vaccination drops to children in Islamabad.

The country has made notable progress in reducing polio cases. Pakistan reported 74 cases in 2024 and 31 in 2025, while the number has fallen to four so far in 2026. At the same time, the proportion of positive samples detected through environmental surveillance has dropped below 10 percent.

The progress was reviewed during a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on the National Taskforce for Polio Eradication, chaired by Ahsan Iqbal in Islamabad on Friday.

Speaking at the meeting, the minister formally announced the start of the latest nationwide vaccination campaign and reiterated the government’s commitment to continuing the fight until poliovirus transmission is completely eliminated.

The meeting was briefed that three of the four polio cases detected in 2026 have been reported from southern KP, highlighting the need for continued attention and vaccination efforts in areas considered particularly vulnerable.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal, Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq, representatives from provincial governments and federating units, development partners, government departments and other relevant organisations.

Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the Pakistan PolioPlus Committee and Rotary also took part in the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Iqbal described the elimination of polio as a national duty, saying it was closely tied to the health, dignity and future of Pakistan’s children.

He noted that polio had once been present in 120 countries, but 118 of those countries have since eliminated the virus. Pakistan and Afghanistan are currently the only two countries where poliovirus remains endemic.

The minister said polio should not be considered simply a public-health issue, as the disease can have lasting consequences for affected children and their families.

He stressed that even a single reported case means unvaccinated children continue to face a risk while the virus remains in circulation.

Urging the nation to work together towards complete eradication, Ahsan Iqbal called on parents, especially mothers, to make sure that every eligible child receives the required vaccine.

“When a polio worker knocks on your door, do not ignore that knock. It is the knock of your child’s future,” he said. “Those two drops can protect your child’s future.”

He also asked religious scholars, community figures and other influential voices to help dispel misinformation surrounding vaccination and build greater public confidence in polio campaigns.

The minister expressed serious concern over violence and intimidation directed at polio workers, saying such incidents should be rejected by society as a whole.

He further encouraged young people, particularly university students, to become part of awareness initiatives and help communities understand the importance of vaccination.

Ahsan Iqbal also highlighted the need to give children a healthy, caring and child-friendly environment during their first five years, which he described as a particularly important period for mental development.

Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal praised the efforts of vaccination teams, provincial administrations and field workers.

He said the four cases recorded this year showed considerable progress, but stressed that the national campaign must continue until Pakistan reaches the goal of zero poliovirus transmission.

A representative of the World Bank welcomed the sharp reduction in reported polio cases.

The UNICEF representative also appreciated the coordination and leadership provided at the federal, provincial and district levels, describing the campaign beginning Monday as an important chance to concentrate on areas facing the greatest risk and build further on the gains already achieved.

Ahsan Iqbal said the latest figures reflected an encouraging direction and demonstrated the government’s coordinated efforts to make Pakistan completely free of polio.

He stressed that vaccination teams must be given access to every child and that no community or area should remain outside the campaign’s coverage.

The minister also assured frontline polio workers that they would receive full backing, saying the government and the country’s security institutions would provide firm support as they continued their efforts to protect children from the disease.