September 9, 2024
ISLAMABAD – A nationwide anti-polio campaign is set to begin tomorrow (Monday) with the aim of vaccinating over 30 million children up to the age of five, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday.
Earlier today, several district administrations in Sindh launched week-long polio vaccination drives in their respective areas ahead of Monday’s nationwide immunisation campaign. The week-long drive will target 9.4 million children under the age of five across 30 districts of Sindh.
This year, 17 polio cases have so far been reported in Pakistan, three of which are from Sindh. The situation is compounded by the presence of positive environmental samples throughout the province, indicating continuous virus circulation.
“Given the current alarming situation, repeated vaccination is especially important. Each dose boosts immunity, bringing us closer to eradicating polio once and for all,” said Irshad Sodhar, provincial coordinator of the Emergency Operations Centre.
Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. Despite global efforts to eradicate the virus, challenges such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have slowed progress.
In Pakistan, polio workers often face resistance in certain areas, and vaccination campaigns are disrupted by regional instability. However, the government, along with international organisations, continues to intensify its efforts to eliminate the disease, focusing on immunisation drives and raising awareness to ensure polio’s complete eradication.
According to Radio Pakistan, 286,000 teams have been formed to immunise children in 115 districts across the country.
In Punjab, 13.9m children will be vaccinated during the week-long campaign in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad districts. Similarly, children will be vaccinated in other districts including Attock, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Gujranwala over a five-day period.
Meanwhile in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 35,259 polio teams have been constituted for a five-day campaign. These teams will perform door-to-door visits to administer polio drops to every child.
In Sindh, the week-long drive will target 9.4 million children under the age of five across 30 districts of the province, including Hyderabad. In Balochistan meanwhile, over 11,000 teams have been formed for a week-long anti-polio drive.
The Provincial Coordinator has urged parents, media and every citizen to play their role in making the anti-polio campaign successful.
‘Polio will never be seen again’
Inaugurating an anti-polio drive on Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed hope that the federal government and the provinces would be able to cooperate to eradicate polio.
After administering anti-polio drops to a child at a ceremony, the PM expressed hope for a successful campaign and said, “I am hopeful that the federal government will work with the provinces to rid Pakistan of this disease and not allow it to return.”
“On this occasion, I thank our partners,” he added. “With their collective, undying efforts, we will be able to meet this challenge.”
“Polio will never be seen again on the territory of Pakistan.”