The Pakistan Polio Programme officially commenced its third National Immunisation Days (NIDs) campaign on Monday, aiming to make Pakistan a polio-free nation. The launch ceremony, held at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) in Islamabad, was spearheaded by Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister’s focal person for polio eradication.
During the inauguration, Farooq personally administered oral polio vaccine (OPV) and Vitamin A drops to children under the age of five. This act underscored the government’s unwavering dedication to ensuring every child in Pakistan is protected from the virus. The week-long campaign aims to immunize over 45 million children under five years of age. This effort is viewed as a decisive step in the country’s final push to halt poliovirus transmission and achieve eradication by the end of 2025.
“Polio eradication is more than a public health goal — it’s a national mission,” said Farooq. “This campaign is a pivotal part of our 2-4-6 roadmap. The rounds we’ve held from September 2024 through May 2025 have been designed to strategically close immunity gaps and disrupt virus circulation before high transmission season begins.”
The event saw the participation of key partners and officials, including Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, who made a plea to parents and the nation to unite against the crippling disease. He directly appealed to parents, imploring them to “remove doubts from their minds.” He emphasized that “rejecting parents should think that the government cannot work against the interests of their children,” and questioned, “Why should we all spoil our fate?” Furthermore, he revealed alarming statistics, stating, “The presence of polio has been found in samples in 50 out of 89 districts of Pakistan.” “This enemy virus is present in the environment around our children,” he added.
While challenges persist in traditional hotspots such as Karachi, South KP, and the Quetta Block, the PM’s focal person highlighted encouraging progress in reaching underserved communities. She also extended deep gratitude to the 400,000 frontline workers driving this campaign—including 225,000 female vaccinators—and acknowledged the support of civil and military law enforcement in ensuring secure access to children.
Despite major gains, the threat of wild poliovirus remains. So far in 2025, Pakistan has confirmed 10 polio cases. Moreover, environmental surveillance has detected the virus in 272 sewage samples across 68 districts—a clear indication of continued transmission. Unicef Representative in Pakistan, Abdullah Fadil, praised the program’s direction during his remarks at the launch. As he concluded his tenure in the country, he lauded Pakistan’s leadership and Farooq for their unwavering resolve. “Pakistan is closer than ever to ending polio,” said Fadil. “With sustained political will, community participation, and united action by all partners, I am confident this nation will soon reach a historic milestone—a polio-free future.”
