A nationwide anti-polio campaign started on Monday (today) in which more than 28 million children under the age of five across 99 districts will be administered polio vaccine, reported 24NewsHD TV channel
According to the National Polio Eradication Programme, more than 240,000 polio workers are participating in the drive, which also covers Gilgit Baltistan (GB), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Islamabad.
During the anti-polio drive, 4.1 million children from seven special districts of Punjab will be administered polio vaccine.
The anti-polio campaign is already suspended in nine flood-affected districts of Punjab.
In Sindh, 89 lakh children from 25 special districts will be administered polio vaccine.
In Balochistan, 21 lakh children from 26 districts will be administered polio vaccine.
Officials noted that the risk of polio and other diseases has increased in flood-affected districts, urging parents to ensure their children receive polio drops during every round.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial Health Department said the campaign has begun with its first phase in 19 districts, targeting more than 5.7 million children. The province has reported 15 polio cases so far this year.
The second phase of the campaign will start from September 15, in which children from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan will be administered the polio vaccine.
More than 4,50,000 children will be vaccinated with polio drops in Islamabad.
Confirmed two new cases of poliovirus in southern KP brought Pakistan's total number of polio cases in 2025 to 23, comprising 15 from KP, six from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and GB.
Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can result in lifelong paralysis. The only proven protection is through repeated doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) for every child under five during each campaign, alongside the timely completion of routine immunisations.
Communities can protect their children by actively supporting vaccination efforts, countering misinformation, and encouraging others to vaccinate.
Reporter: Babar Shehzad Turk