By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan launched its third polio vaccination campaign of 20254 on Sunday, targeting over 45 million children under five in a weeklong push to stamp out the crippling virus by next year.
The effort, led by Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister’s polio eradication chief, comes as the country grapples with a stubborn resurgence of cases.
Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the world’s last polio holdouts. This year, 10 new cases emerged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts, while sewage samples from 68 districts tested positive 272 times, signaling widespread circulation.
Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, inaugurated the campaign with a symbolic gesture, administering oral polio vaccine and Vitamin A drops to young children. “Polio eradication is not just a health goal — it is a national imperative and a matter of immense pride for our country,” Farooq said.
She described the weeklong campaign, set to begin May 26, as a “decisive milestone” in Pakistan’s 2-4-6 roadmap, a series of intensive vaccination rounds running from September 2024 to May 2025.
“This third campaign of 2025 represents our most strategic opportunity to close immunity gaps and halt virus circulation before the high transmission season begins,” Farooq added. The government, she said, is determined to interrupt poliovirus transmission once and for all.
Pakistan’s polio program has made strides, but the road ahead is fraught with challenges. Farooq acknowledged persistent trouble spots — Karachi, South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Quetta Block — where the virus lingers in key reservoirs. Yet she pointed to encouraging signs, including better access to underserved communities long left beyond the reach of vaccinators.
The effort relies heavily on 400,000 frontline workers, including 225,000 women who go door-to-door, often under the protection of civil and military law enforcement personnel ensuring their safety in volatile regions.
Polio, a disease with no cure, can leave children paralyzed for life, making vaccination the only line of defense. Health officials stress that multiple doses of the oral vaccine, paired with routine immunizations, are critical to building high immunity in children under five.
At the launch, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Abdullah Fadil offered a note of cautious optimism as he wrapped up his tenure in the country. “Pakistan is closer than ever to making history,” Fadil said. “With continued political will, community engagement, and coordinated action by all partners, I believe this country can soon achieve a polio-free future.”
The government’s resolve was echoed earlier this week by Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal, who met with Dr. Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Gates Foundation. Kamal pledged to eliminate polio by year’s end, crediting recent progress to effective vaccination drives and stronger community outreach. “The fight against polio has required a tremendous sacrifice from all stakeholders, including law enforcement personnel who have rendered invaluable services,” he said. “This mission will continue until we reach complete eradication.”
A significant drop in parental vaccine refusal has bolstered these efforts, a shift Kamal attributed to painstaking engagement with local leaders and families. Still, success hinges on public cooperation. The NEOC urged citizens to welcome vaccination teams and report any missed children through the Sehat Tahaffuz Helpline at 1166 or via WhatsApp.
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