As Pakistan prepares for a nationwide inoculation drive beginning on Monday in response to an increasing number of cases, officials on Sunday urged parents to ensure that their children receive anti-polio vaccines.
According to a statement, the campaign, which will run from October 28 to November 3, aims to vaccinate over 45 million children under the age of five.
Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s focal person for polio eradication, stated, “Parents must ensure vaccination of their children aged below five years,” adding, “Parents are requested to fully cooperate with polio workers.”
Pakistan has had 41 cases of polio this year, making it one of only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic, along with Afghanistan.
The country has experienced a resurgence of the virus since the end of 2018, raising questions about the viability of previous successes in disease control.
