No one understands the lifelong pain of polio better than Sajjad Ahmad, a father whose dreams for his daughter were shattered by a disease that is now close to eradication in Pakistan. “My doll, Khushboo Bobi, was only three years old,” Sajjad recalled, his voice trembling. “She returned home from school with a high fever […]
Polio
Health minister launches last nationwide polio drive of 2025
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Thursday launched the last nationwide polio campaign of 2025 aiming to vaccinate over 45 million children against the crippling disease, noting that the number of cases in the country had reduced in comparison to last year. Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where […]
Measles-rubella, polio vaccination drive starts
The National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has announced the formal launch of the nationwide measles-rubella and polio vaccination campaign across the country from November 17 to 29. According to the National EOC, 35.4 million children will be vaccinated against measles and rubella during the campaign. In addition, 23.3 million children in 90 high-risk districts across […]
Over 18% target achieved on first day of polio campaign
A review meeting of the ongoing 10-day modern fractional-does inactivated polio vaccine (FIPV) campaign was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Lahore Syed Musa Raza and Head of Anti-Polio Campaign Adeel Tasawar here on Monday. The meeting took a detailed review of the first day’s performance of the campaign. Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), Chief […]
First Lady reaffirms Pakistan’s resolve to end polio
On World Polio Day, the First Lady of Pakistan, Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to eradicating polio and protecting every child from preventable diseases. The First Lady said Pakistan has made steady progress against polio, but the task is not yet complete. She noted that the remaining cases remind everyone that this is […]
Sindh aims to eliminate polio by next year
Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho has said that polio workers are the true heroes who continue their tireless efforts, going door-to-door to administer polio drops to children despite challenging circumstances. She said that the eradication of polio remains the government’s top priority and a national responsibility, expressing her resolve […]
Mayor urges citizens to dispel propaganda against polio
Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab Friday, in his message on the occasion of World Polio Day, said that polio is an incurable disease, and protection from it is only possible through vaccination. He urged citizens not to believe in false assumptions and negative propaganda, as doing so could endanger their children’s future. The Mayor Karachi […]
National polio eradication campaign concludes
National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) on Sunday said that during the first six days of the nationwide campaign, more than 43.7 million children have been vaccinated against polio. According to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), in Punjab, over 23 million children received the vaccine, while in Sindh, more than 10.4 million children were immunized. […]
Polio campaign resumes in South Waziristan after two years
Newly appointed Deputy Commissioner South Waziristan Upper Asmatullah Wazir has undertaken a series of remarkable administrative and humanitarian initiatives that have brought tangible relief and progress to the district. After years of delay, DC Asmatullah Wazir successfully completed and forwarded all pending compensation cases of landmine victims and natural calamities to Peshawar. As a result, […]
The Last Mile
Another Levies constable was killed in Swat this week while guarding a polio team. It made the headlines for a day, then slipped into the familiar silence that follows such deaths. Yet his killing tells more about Pakistan than any speech or summit could. It tells of a state that must now send rifles with […]