ISLAMABAD: Pakistani health authorities have vaccinated over 19.3 million children against poliovirus since Sept. 1, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) said in a statement on Tuesday, as the nine-day anti-polio nationwide drive concludes today.
Islamabad launched the nationwide campaign against the disease on Sept. 1, as it grapples with poliovirus, which remains endemic only in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Polio is an incurable, highly infectious virus that can cause lifelong paralysis and can only be prevented through repeated oral vaccination and routine immunization.
Pakistan has enhanced its efforts to vaccinate millions of children ever since it reported an alarming 74 polio infections in 2024. This was a sharp rise in infections from six cases in 2023 and just one in 2021, highlighting the challenge of eradication.
“Today marks the final day of the special anti-polio campaign,” the NEOC said in a statement. “By the end of yesterday, more than 19.3 million children had been administered polio drops.”
Giving a breakdown of the vaccinations, the NEOC said over 4 million children were given polio drops in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province while in Sindh, nearly 8.431 million children received the vaccine since Sept. 1.
