Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially launched the first nationwide anti-polio campaign of 2025 on Sunday, administering polio drops to children under five as part of the seven-day drive. The campaign, which will run from Monday through February 9, aims to reach millions of children across Pakistan to safeguard their health and future.
Addressing the launch ceremony in Islamabad, the Prime Minister reiterated his government’s commitment to eradicating polio from the country. He expressed hope that vaccination teams would work tirelessly, even in remote areas, to ensure no child is left unvaccinated. “These teams are tasked with a massive national responsibility and will use all their energy to meet it,” he stated.
Prime Minister Shehbaz acknowledged the 77 polio cases reported in the previous year as a “huge challenge and setback” but highlighted the positive progress made in 2025, with only one case reported so far. He reiterated the resolve to eliminate polio “at all costs.”
The Prime Minister also expressed hope that with continued international support and cooperation, polio could be eradicated in neighboring Afghanistan as well. He commended international partners like WHO, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Saudi Arabia for their ongoing contributions to Pakistan’s efforts to eliminate the disease.
PM’s Coordinator on National Health Services, Mukhtar Bharat, emphasized the transparency in reporting last year’s polio cases and noted the positive impact of concerted efforts, with only one case in 2025. Ayesha Raza Farooq, PM’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication, urged all segments of society to participate in the vaccination campaign and called on parents to ensure their children receive the polio vaccine.
The first phase of the 2025 anti-polio campaign will begin in Balochistan, targeting over 2.66 million children across the province. Coordinator of the Emergency Operations Centre Balochistan, Inamul Haq, urged everyone to work with renewed determination to make 2025 the year polio is eradicated from Pakistan.
Haq shared that over 11,600 teams, including mobile units, fixed sites, and transit points, will be involved in the campaign. These teams will visit homes in even the most remote areas of Balochistan to administer the vaccine. Security measures are also in place to protect the vaccination teams.
In 2024, Pakistan reported 73 polio cases, with 27 of those in Balochistan. The virus was detected in environmental samples from districts such as Qila Abdullah, Zhob, and Chagai, signaling that polio remains a threat. Despite challenging conditions, Haq praised the dedication and professionalism of polio workers across the country.
