Week-long anti-polio campaign underway across country
Week-Long Anti-Polio Campaign Launched Nationwide
A nationwide, week-long anti-polio vaccination campaign is currently underway, marking another major step in Pakistan’s ongoing fight against the crippling disease. Health authorities have mobilised thousands of frontline workers to ensure that every eligible child receives protective drops, with the drive covering urban centres, rural communities, and hard-to-reach areas across the country.
The campaign targets children under the age of five, the group most vulnerable to the poliovirus. Special vaccination teams are going door to door, while fixed and transit points have been established at bus terminals, railway stations, markets, and border crossings to reach children on the move. The aim is to close immunity gaps and prevent the spread of the virus, particularly in areas where population movement is high.
Officials from the national and provincial health departments have emphasised that this campaign is part of a broader strategy to permanently eliminate polio. Pakistan remains one of the few countries in the world where the virus has not yet been eradicated, making such repeated drives essential. Surveillance data and recent environmental samples have highlighted the need for sustained efforts, especially in high-risk districts.
To ensure the safety of vaccination teams, local administrations and law enforcement agencies are providing security and logistical support. Training sessions were conducted ahead of the campaign to prepare workers to address parents’ concerns, maintain accurate records, and follow strict health protocols. In many areas, community elders, teachers, and religious leaders have also been engaged to encourage participation and counter misinformation.
Parents and caregivers are being urged to cooperate with health workers and ensure that no child is missed. Medical experts stress that multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine are necessary to build strong immunity and that the drops are safe, effective, and free of cost. Refusal or delay, they warn, can leave children exposed to lifelong paralysis.
The campaign also includes public awareness initiatives through radio, television, and social media, highlighting the importance of vaccination and dispelling myths associated with it. Volunteers and health officials are reminding families that eradicating polio is a shared responsibility that requires consistent public support.
As the week-long drive continues, authorities remain hopeful that widespread participation will bring the country closer to a polio-free future. Each vaccinated child represents progress toward protecting future generations from a preventable disease and achieving a long-standing national and global health goal.
