The Ministry of Health has announced a new strategy to eradicate polio, expanding polio vaccination to children up to the age of 15.
This major initiative will begin in November and will first cover Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta. The expansion comes after traces of the polio virus were repeatedly detected in sewage samples from Lahore and Karachi.
Captain (retd) Anwarul Haq, the coordinator of the Polio Eradication Program, told Samaa TV that the decision was taken on the advice of the Polio Eradication Technical Advisory Group. Previously, only children under five were vaccinated, but experts now believe a wider campaign is necessary.
Scope of the Campaign
The vaccination drive will target nearly four million children in Karachi and another 1.5 million in Lahore, making it one of the largest health campaigns in recent years. In Quetta, an injection-based campaign will also be launched to strengthen immunity among children living in high-risk areas.
Global Funding Challenges
Pakistan’s efforts have recently faced a setback as international funding for anti-polio programs has been reduced by up to 20%. Much of the funding comes through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in Geneva, which spends about $250 million every year in Pakistan. Major donors include USAID, UNICEF, WHO, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
However, with shrinking contributions, Pakistan has been forced to revise its strategy. From next year, campaigns will run for three days instead of five, and staff numbers at the district and tehsil levels will be reduced.
Current Polio Situation
So far in 2025, Pakistan has reported 27 polio cases. According to the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC), Sindh has confirmed seven cases, Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan have reported one each, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains the worst-hit with 18 cases.
The Health Ministry said that despite funding challenges, the expanded polio vaccination campaign aims to protect millions of children and finally move the country closer to eradicating the virus.
In other news read more about Two New Polio Cases From KP Push Pakistan’s 2025 Tally to 26
