Pakistan Launches Crucial Polio Vaccination Drive
As Pakistan prepares to start its final nationwide polio vaccination campaign of the year from Monday, First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has made a strong appeal to the public to fully support the life-saving initiative. The campaign aims to vaccinate more than 45 million children under the age of five across the country.
Pakistan remains among the last two countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, where polio has not yet been eradicated. So far, 30 polio cases have been reported this year, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recording the highest number at 19.
Collective Responsibility to Protect Children
In her message, Aseefa Bhutto emphasized that the success of the polio campaign depends on collective national responsibility. She urged parents, caregivers, community leaders, and public representatives to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated.
According to official figures, the campaign targets 45.4 million children, including over 23 million in Punjab, 10.6 million in Sindh, 7.3 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 2.66 million in Balochistan. Children in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Islamabad will also be covered.
Honoring Benazir Bhutto’s Legacy
Recalling the vision of her mother, late Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Aseefa highlighted that Pakistan’s first nationwide polio eradication drive was launched under her leadership in 1994. She shared a personal memory of receiving polio drops from her mother, describing it as a defining moment that shaped her lifelong commitment to ending the disease.
Strong Workforce and Cross-Border Coordination
The vaccination drive will include a three-day door-to-door campaign with catch-up days, while high-risk areas will see extended efforts through mobile and community-based teams. Over 408,000 frontline polio workers have been deployed nationwide.
The campaign is also being coordinated with Afghanistan’s December polio drive to prevent cross-border transmission of the virus.
Call to Action for Communities
Aseefa Bhutto called on religious scholars, elected officials, and community elders to stand with polio workers, counter misinformation, and help vaccinators reach every child. She urged citizens to welcome vaccination teams, report missed children, and support frontline staff to secure a polio-free future for Pakistan.
