Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched Pakistan’s first nationwide anti-polio campaign of 2025 on Sunday, with a goal to reach millions of children across the country. The campaign will run from February 3 to February 9, 2025, and aims to protect children from the paralyzing disease by administering the crucial polio vaccine.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Prime Minister Sharif reaffirmed his government’s commitment to eradicating polio from Pakistan. He emphasized the importance of the vaccination drive, highlighting that it is crucial for safeguarding the future and health of children in the country.
The polio campaign comes after Pakistan reported its first polio case of 2025 in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on January 22. In 2024, Pakistan recorded 73 cases of polio, with the highest numbers reported in Balochistan (27 cases), followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (22), Sindh (22), and one case each in Punjab and Islamabad.
Polio is a life-threatening disease that causes paralysis and has no known cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine, along with completing the regular vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five, are essential to provide strong immunity against the disease.
The Pakistan Polio Programme runs several mass vaccination drives throughout the year, bringing the vaccine directly to children’s doorsteps. In addition, the Expanded Programme on Immunization offers free vaccinations for 12 childhood diseases at health facilities across the country.
With the 2025 anti-polio campaign now underway, authorities are urging parents to ensure their children receive the necessary vaccine doses to prevent the spread of this devastating disease.
