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Pakistan Launches Polio Drive in 97 High-Risk Districts
31 Oct
Summary
- A polio vaccination campaign began Friday in 97 high-risk districts.
- Approximately 24 million children are targeted for vaccination.
- The campaign involves over 200,000 frontline polio workers.
Pakistan initiated its third sub-national polio vaccination campaign for 2026 on Friday, focusing on 97 high-risk districts across the nation. Federal Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal inaugurated the campaign, emphasizing the government's commitment to eradicating the disease.
This drive targets roughly 24 million children between November 2 and 8, with over 200,000 frontline workers mobilized. The campaign is conducted simultaneously with Afghanistan, ensuring robust cross-border coordination. Efforts have significantly reduced polio cases by 99.8% since 1994.
Minister Kamal highlighted southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a key concern requiring targeted interventions and strengthened vaccination efforts. He urged parents to cooperate with vaccination teams, stressing that the oral polio vaccine is safe, effective, and the only defense against lifelong paralysis or death.
