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Pakistan Launches Final 2025 Polio Drive to Vaccinate 45 Million Children
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal launches Pakistan’s last polio campaign of 2025, targeting 45+ million children. Cases drop from 74 last year to 30 this year, but virus still present in major cities and KP remains most affected.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-12-11
Pakistan Launches Final 2025 Polio Drive to Vaccinate 45 Million Children

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Thursday inaugurated the final nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2025, aiming to immunise more than 45 million children across Pakistan. The campaign comes as the country continues to battle one of the world’s last remaining reservoirs of the poliovirus.

Speaking at the launch ceremony in Islamabad, the minister highlighted significant progress in the fight against polio, noting a substantial decline in cases compared to last year. Pakistan has so far reported 30 polio cases in 2025 — a marked decrease from the 74 cases recorded in 2024.

Despite this improvement, Kamal cautioned that the virus remains present in multiple regions, including major cities such as Peshawar, Karachi, and Lahore. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries where polio is still endemic.

KP Remains the Hardest Hit

Out of the 30 cases reported nationwide, 19 were detected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), with 16 of them emerging from the southern districts. The minister revealed that nearly 200,000 children in south KP had missed polio vaccinations due to persistent law and order challenges.

He emphasised that eliminating the virus by the end of the year remains a top priority, urging all stakeholders — from parents and community leaders to local officials — to support the campaign.

Massive Workforce Mobilised

More than 400,000 polio workers will participate in the nationwide campaign scheduled from December 15 to 21. The National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) confirmed that approximately 45.5 million children under the age of five are expected to be vaccinated during this round.

According to NEOC:

  • 23 million children will be vaccinated in Punjab
  • 16 million in Sindh
  • 7.2 million in KP
  • 2.6 million in Balochistan
  • Over 400,000 in Islamabad

Parents have been strongly encouraged to cooperate with vaccination teams ensuring every eligible child receives oral polio drops.

Countering Misinformation

Minister Kamal urged citizens not to fall prey to misinformation or negative propaganda against the polio vaccination drive. He called upon religious scholars and elected representatives to publicly endorse the campaign — even suggesting that leaders record themselves giving polio drops to children in their families to inspire public confidence.

Ongoing Threat

On October 21, a case of wild poliovirus was confirmed in KP’s Torghar district, bringing this year’s total to 30. In comparison, Pakistan recorded at least 71 cases in 2024, with the virus detected across nearly 90 districts.

Polio is a highly infectious, incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. Health officials warn that repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine during each campaign remain the only effective defence.

With the latest drive targeting millions of children nationwide, authorities hope to make 2025 a turning point in Pakistan’s decades-long struggle against the crippling disease.
Tagged:

EndPolio

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