ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to launch a nationwide polio vaccination campaign from September 21 as more than 31 million children would be administered polio drops in the drive. The campaign will be carried out in 115 selected districts in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan will get polio drops.
In this connection, vaccination teams will administer oral polio vaccine drops to children through door-to-door visits and other immunisation activities. According to the National Polio Eradication Programme, the week-long campaign will continue until September 27 and is part of the country’s ongoing efforts to eliminate poliovirus and prevent its spread, particularly in areas where transmission remains a concern.
Health authorities have stressed that repeated vaccination is essential to maintaining immunity among children and protecting them from the crippling disease. The government has also increased the daily remuneration of workers participating in polio campaigns by 28 percent.
Officials said the increase was aimed at recognising the services of frontline workers who travel to remote and difficult-to-access areas to ensure that children receive the vaccine. Pakistan has made major progress in reducing polio cases over the past three decades. The number of cases has declined sharply, while the downward trend has continued this year as only three polio cases reported so far in 2026.
Despite the significant decline, health authorities continue to urge parents to ensure that their children receive polio drops during vaccination campaigns to maintain high population immunity and prevent the virus from spreading.
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