30.1 million children to receive polio drops across Pakistan

Millions of children to receive polio drops

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will vaccinate 8.3 million children across 37 districts during the campaign.

Balochistan has set a target of vaccinating 2.3 million children against polio.

In Sindh, around 10 million children aged five years and below will receive polio drops across 30 districts.

Punjab has the highest provincial target, with 10.6 million children expected to receive the vaccine across 13 districts.

The large-scale campaign aims to reach children in areas where vaccination coverage needs to be strengthened.

Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan included

The anti-polio campaign will also cover Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Authorities have set a target of vaccinating 447,000 children in Islamabad.

Around 137,000 children will receive polio drops across two districts of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Vaccination teams will work to reach eligible children during the campaign and reduce the number of children who may be missed.

Karachi districts to receive special focus

Several districts of Karachi will also be covered under the campaign. The drive will take place in Central, East, West, South, Keamari, Korangi and Malir districts.

Karachi remains an important part of Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts because the city has faced repeated detection of poliovirus. Health teams will therefore focus on reaching children across the targeted areas and ensuring they receive the required vaccine.

Poliovirus detected in environmental samples

The upcoming campaign comes as authorities continue to detect poliovirus in sewage samples.

Sewage water samples from 35 districts have tested positive for the virus. A total of 128 environmental samples across the country have confirmed the presence of poliovirus so far this year.

Environmental surveillance helps health authorities identify areas where the virus is circulating, even when no child has been diagnosed with polio. Such detections allow officials to identify potential risks and take preventive measures.

Pakistan reports three polio cases

Pakistan has reported three polio cases nationwide so far this year. This is lower than the 21 cases reported last year, according to the figures provided for the campaign.

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The decline in cases indicates progress in the fight against the disease. However, the continued detection of poliovirus in environmental samples shows that the threat has not completely disappeared.

Why repeated vaccination remains important

Polio mainly affects children and can cause permanent paralysis. There is no cure for paralysis caused by polio, but vaccination can protect children from the disease.

For this reason, Pakistan continues to conduct vaccination campaigns to increase immunity and reach children who may have missed earlier doses. The success of each campaign depends on reaching children in both urban and hard-to-reach areas.

Health teams prepare for nationwide campaign

Vaccination teams will be deployed across the 115 targeted districts during the campaign. Teams will work to ensure that eligible children receive polio drops and that fewer children are missed.

The government’s target of 30.1 million children makes the campaign one of the major vaccination drives being carried out across the country. The focus will remain on areas where environmental surveillance indicates continued virus circulation.

Parents urged to cooperate

Parents and caregivers play an important role in making the campaign successful. Families are encouraged to allow vaccination teams to administer polio drops to eligible children.

Officials also stress the importance of ensuring that children receive repeated doses when campaigns are conducted. Reaching every child can help close immunity gaps and reduce opportunities for the virus to spread.

Pakistan continues polio eradication efforts

The latest campaign highlights the government’s continued focus on eliminating polio from Pakistan. Although the number of reported cases has fallen, environmental detections remain a concern for health authorities.

The government will need to maintain strong vaccination coverage and surveillance to prevent further transmission. Reaching children in every targeted district will remain critical to Pakistan’s long-term goal of ending polio.