ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will vaccinate more than 31 million children under age 5 across 115 high-risk districts from Sept. 21 to 27 as authorities step up efforts to close immunity gaps and stop the continued spread of wild poliovirus.
The nationwide campaign will deploy more than 273,000 health workers to reach children in areas considered most vulnerable to polio. The campaign also will be coordinated with vaccination efforts in neighboring Afghanistan to help prevent the virus from crossing the border and spreading between the two countries.
Pakistan has reported four confirmed cases of wild poliovirus type 1 so far in 2026. Three cases were detected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the northwest, while one was reported in Sindh in the south.
“The September campaign is an important opportunity to reach more than 31 million children in high-risk areas and strengthen population immunity against poliovirus,” Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister’s focal person for polio eradication, said.
She urged parents and caregivers to cooperate with vaccination teams and make sure children under 5 receive polio drops during the campaign, even if they have been vaccinated previously. Health officials said the continued discovery of poliovirus through surveillance of children with acute flaccid paralysis and environmental testing shows that vaccination efforts must continue at a high level.
Authorities have carried out repeated nationwide and targeted vaccination campaigns as part of Pakistan’s long-running effort to eliminate wild poliovirus. The virus can cause irreversible paralysis, particularly in children. Earlier this year, Pakistan targeted more than 45 million children during three nationwide vaccination campaigns.
The latest campaign is intended to reach children who may have missed previous vaccination rounds and strengthen immunity in areas where the virus remains a threat. Officials say maintaining strong vaccination coverage and quickly responding to virus detections are key to stopping transmission.
