ISLAMABAD - Over 33 million children under five years of age received vaccination during the sub-national anti-polio campaign. 

According to statement issued by National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), the campaign was conducted from June 7 to 11 in 124 districts of the country including all four provinces, Azad Jammu Kashmir and the federal capital Islamabad.

The sub-national campaign was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan reaffirming the government’s commitment to eradicate the crippling disease. 

Congratulating the provincial government and partners for the successful polio campaign, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan said, “This is the most critical time for the programme, reaching and sustaining zero polio cases and transmission requires even greater efforts. We must work in close integration with broader routine immunisation services to tackle all vaccine-preventable diseases.”  

More than 225,000 “Sehat Tahafuz” frontline workers visited families and caregivers during the campaign and ensured vaccination of children against the crippling poliovirus. As a result, the programme successfully achieved its target to build children’s immunity amid the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the frontline workers strictly followed the standard COVID-19 operating procedures during the campaign.

“With the great support of parents and communities, the programme achieved the campaign target; however, now is not the time for complacency.  The current gains of the programme are fragile and can easily be reversed, especially during the upcoming season when the virus is especially active,” said Dr. Shahzad Baig, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre, Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI). He urged everyone to continue hard work and concerted efforts to overcome the hurdles in the last mile to polio eradication.