ISLAMABAD – Pakistan kicked off its last nationwide polio campaign of 2025 on Monday, aiming to vaccinate 45.5 million children across the country. The week-long drive will run until December 21, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
Pakistan remains one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio is endemic. So far this year, the country has reported 30 polio cases, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recording the highest number at 19.
Read more: Nationwide polio drive launches tomorrow to protect children
More than 400,000 frontline polio workers will participate in the campaign. Over 23 million children will be vaccinated in Punjab, more than 16 million in Sindh, 7.2 million in KP, and 2.6 million in Balochistan. Islamabad aims to cover over 400,000 children.
In Sindh, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah inaugurated the campaign in Karachi, personally administering polio drops to children. He urged parents, influencers, and communities to fully cooperate with polio workers. The campaign in Sindh involves over 80,000 frontline workers and 21,000 police personnel across 30 districts and 1,345 union councils.
Read more: Health minister launches last nationwide polio drive of 2025
Polio is a highly infectious disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. Authorities stress that repeated oral polio vaccination for every child under five is the only effective protection, along with timely completion of all essential immunisations. Political leaders, including Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, urged communities to ensure every child is vaccinated.