ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s final Anti-Polio Drive of 2025 did not fully meet its vaccination targets, according to official sources cited by local media. The nationwide campaign reached most children but still left a significant number unvaccinated, raising concerns among health authorities.
The final campaign of the year was carried out from December 15 to December 21. Officials said the drive achieved 98.6 percent coverage. Despite this progress, nearly 900,000 children missed polio drops across the country. This shortfall highlights ongoing challenges faced by immunization teams.
Sources confirmed that 872,776 children were not vaccinated during the December campaign. A large number of children were unavailable at the time of visits. Officials reported that 669,326 children were not present when vaccination teams arrived. Security issues and local boycotts also affected access in several areas.
Parental refusal remained another major obstacle. During the Anti-Polio Drive, 54,676 parents declined vaccination for their children. Health workers said misinformation and mistrust continue to fuel resistance in some communities.
Provincial data revealed uneven coverage across regions. Punjab recorded around 331,000 unvaccinated children. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa followed with nearly 250,000 missed cases. In Sindh, 238,982 children were not reached. Balochistan reported 43,339 missed vaccinations.
Smaller regions also reported gaps. Islamabad had about 6,000 unvaccinated children. Gilgit-Baltistan recorded 3,026 missed cases. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 1,272 children did not receive polio drops.
Officials said parental refusals were highest in Sindh, with 32,947 cases. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 21,085 refusal cases. These figures show the need for stronger community engagement and awareness efforts.
Health sources added that vaccination coverage stayed below 95 percent in eight districts. However, 111 districts recorded coverage between 95 and 100 percent. While progress was noted, officials said complete success remains out of reach.
Earlier campaigns also faced similar issues. An Anti-Polio Drive held in October aimed to vaccinate over 45 million children. That campaign also missed its goal, leaving more than one million children unvaccinated.
Authorities say repeated gaps highlight structural and social challenges. These include access issues, security risks, and public hesitation. Health officials stress that sustained efforts are needed to eliminate polio.
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The government and health partners plan to review strategies. Improved planning, better security, and community trust are seen as key. Officials remain committed to strengthening future Anti-Polio Drive efforts to protect every child.
