Islamabad,Zubair kasuri,In a renewed effort to eradicate polio, Pakistan has launched a nationwide vaccination campaign targeting over 45 million children under the age of five. The campaign, which runs from October 28th to November 3rd, 2024, comes in response to a concerning rise in polio cases and persistent positive environmental samples of the virus.
This seven-day initiative will cover 159 districts across the country. Over 23.3 million children will be vaccinated in Punjab, 10.6 million in Sindh, over 7.3 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and more than 265,000 in Balochistan. The campaign also aims to reach over 1.4 million children in Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
In addition to polio drops, children will also receive Vitamin A supplements to boost their immunity.
The Ministry of Health emphasized the urgency of the campaign, stating that eliminating polio is a national goal. Parents are urged to recognize the critical importance of vaccination and ensure their children receive the polio drops.
The campaign slogan, “Because the decision has to be made today. If the child wants to walk tomorrow,” underscores the gravity of the situation and the potential consequences of inaction.
