ISLAMABAD: The first nationwide polio vaccination drive of the year 2024 is underway across Pakistan, aiming to safeguard children from the risks of paralytic polio.
Running until January 12, the five-day campaign targets over 44.3 million children under the age of five, administering oral polio drops across the country. Subsequent phases will focus on specific regions, with Lakki Marwat and South Waziristan Upper and Lower scheduled for vaccination from January 15–19, Tank from January 15–21, and DI Khan from January 22–28.
A workforce of over 400,000 vaccinators will go door-to-door to ensure the widespread administration of the polio vaccine. In terms of regional distribution, 22.6 million children in Punjab, 10.3 million in Sindh, 7.5 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2.6 million in Balochistan, 0.72 million in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 0.28 million in Gilgit-Baltistan, and 0.42 million in Islamabad are targeted for vaccination.
Dr. Shahzad Baig, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication, emphasized the urgency of parents cooperating with vaccinators to ensure their children receive this vital vaccine.
Highlighting the severity of polio’s impact, Dr. Baig stated, “Polio has no cure. It is a devastating disease that affects not just individual children but also changes the lives of the whole family. The polio vaccine offers protection from this disease and the chance for children to live up to their potential. So, I urge parents and caregivers countrywide to take every opportunity you get to vaccinate your children against polio.”
