Pakistan launches second nationwide polio campaign targeting over 45 million children

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday launched its second nationwide anti-polio drive of 2026, aiming to vaccinate more than 45 million children under the age of five across the country in a renewed push to eliminate the virus.

The campaign, running until April 19, will be carried out by over 400,000 frontline health workers conducting door-to-door vaccinations across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad. Vitamin A supplements will also be administered to improve child immunity.

According to Polio Programme chief Anwarul Haq, Pakistan has recorded notable progress, with the virus detected in 23 districts in 2026 compared to 82 districts in 2025, while positive environmental samples have fallen sharply from 651 to 40.

Despite improvements, Pakistan confirmed 31 polio cases in 2025 and one case so far this year from Sujawal, Sindh, underscoring continued transmission risks as long as the virus persists in any region.

Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq said Pakistan is “closer than ever” to eradication but warned that this remains a critical phase requiring full coverage of every child under five.

She urged parents to cooperate with vaccination teams, stressing that polio is incurable but entirely preventable through repeated immunisation campaigns.

First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari also called for nationwide cooperation, saying Pakistan stands at a decisive stage in its eradication effort where reaching every child is essential.