ISLAMABAD: Pakistani health authorities have vaccinated more than 42 million children in an ongoing anti-polio drive this week, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) said on Friday.
Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effective protection is through repeated vaccination for every child under five.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio remains endemic. Last year, Pakistan reported 31 polio cases, a significant drop from 74 cases in 2024.
Authorities on Feb. 2 began the first anti-polio drive of this year which will continue till Feb. 8 and aims to reach 45.4 million children, aged below five, across the South Asian country.
“The first national polio campaign of 2026 continues for the fifth day across the country,” the NEOC said on Friday. “Vaccination of more than 42.2 million children across the country has been completed in four days.”
