ISLAMABAD: The first nationwide anti-polio vaccination campaign of 2026 concluded on Sunday, with more than 44.1 million children vaccinated across Pakistan.
According to the National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), Punjab recorded the highest number of vaccinations, with more than 22.9 million children given polio drops during the campaign.
The vaccination campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administered vaccines to approximately 7.1 million children, while Sindh reported more than 10.4 million vaccinations. Balochistan administered polio drops to approximately 2.32 million children.
The National EOC reported that Islamabad vaccinated more than 455,000 children. In Gilgit-Baltistan, over 261,000 children received polio drops, while more than 673,000 children were vaccinated in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials said the campaign successfully reached children in high-risk and remote areas. Parents were urged to cooperate with polio teams to help eliminate the virus from the country.
The National EOC advised the public to contact the polio helpline at 1166 or send a WhatsApp message to 0346-7776546 for information or assistance related to polio vaccination.
Nationwide Polio threat grows as 40 sewage samples test positive
Moreover, the polio virus has been confirmed in 40 sewage samples across the country. Out of a total of 127 sewage samples sent to the National Institute of Health for laboratory testing, 40 tested positive for the polio virus, while 87 were negative.
In the federal capital, Islamabad, there were 4 negative and 1 positive sample reported. The province of Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal recorded the highest number of positive results, with 23 samples confirmed.
Additionally, 6 sewage samples from Punjab tested positive for the polio virus, and 8 samples from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also confirmed its presence.
In Balochistan, two samples were found to contain the virus, while samples from Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan were found to be polio-free.
The first national polio campaign of 2026 is scheduled to be held across the country from February 2 to 8, as confirmed by the National Emergency Operation Center (EOC).
During this campaign, over 45 million children are expected to be vaccinated against polio, with more than 400,000 polio workers set to carry out their duties during the seven-day initiative.
