Polio campaign launched in 97 high-risk districts across country

On Friday, the third sub-national polio vaccination campaign of 2026 targeting 97 high-risk districts across Pakistan commenced. Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal inaugurated the drive at the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication and administered the inaugural polio drops.

The Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) launched the campaign, aiming to safeguard approximately 24 million children from November 2 to 8. This marks the fifth large-scale campaign in 2026 and the third sub-national drive, mobilizing over 200,000 frontline polio workers. The campaign, conducted concurrently in Pakistan and Afghanistan, underscores the collaborative efforts to eradicate the disease.

Speaking at the inauguration, Kamal emphasized the ongoing threat of poliovirus to children's health and reiterated the government's commitment to eradication. He stressed that polio eradication remains a national priority and outlined the campaign's focus on enhancing vaccination coverage and protecting every eligible child. Kamal highlighted the challenges in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where targeted interventions and stronger coordination are crucial to ensure unimpeded vaccination efforts.

He urged parents and caregivers to cooperate with vaccination teams, ensuring that all children under five receive the oral polio vaccine during the campaign. Polio has no cure and can lead to lifelong paralysis or death. The vaccine, prequalified by the World Health Organisation, has been safely used in 195 countries.