Million Children Missed, 53K Refuse Polio Vaccination Campaign

Pakistan’s latest nationwide polio vaccination campaign underscored significant challenges in reaching children across diverse regions, yet marked substantial progress. Around one million children remained unvaccinated during this year’s inaugural national rollout, a figure deeply concerning given Pakistan’s population. The largest share of missed vaccinations—58 percent—occurred in Karachi, the country’s metropolis.

The campaign concluded on February 5th in most urban centers but extended until February 8th in Sindh province. More than 44 million children received polio drops, reflecting a major achievement for Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to eradicate this disease. Although overall household coverage reached 98 percent, approximately two percent of the population still eluded vaccination.

Specifically, 0.67 million missed children were absent from their homes at the time of administration, while an additional 233,000 could not be vaccinated due to security concerns or inaccessible areas like snow-bound regions in KP (including South Punjab) and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), Gilgit-Baltistan.

Despite these hurdles, nearly two million children were vaccinated across the country. In Sindh, more than 10.5 million children were targeted; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw over 7.13 million receive drops; and Balochistan had a total of over 2.36 million administered.

In Islamabad, the capital city, some 455,000 children received their polio shots. Gilgit-Baltistan recorded around 261,000 vaccinations, while Azad Jammu and Kashmir saw more than 673,000 children immunized.

A week after the campaign’s conclusion, Pakistan’s National Emergency Operation Center (EOC) shared an update: a post-campaign independent assessment was underway to ensure successful eradication. The EOC acknowledged that this first national campaign had been successfully executed in partnership with Afghanistan, demonstrating effective cross-border collaboration aimed at curbing poliovirus transmission.

Government officials emphasized the importance of sustained immunization efforts, community engagement, and regional cooperation for achieving Pakistan’s goal of a polio-free nation. Dr. Anwarul Haq, head of the Pakistan Polio Program, noted that fewer reported cases—31 in 2025 compared to 74 in 2024—highlighted the progress made.

Prime Minister Ayesha Raza Farooq assured stakeholders that a comprehensive report from the independent assessment would soon be shared. With continued commitment and collaboration, Pakistan is committed to realizing its vision of eradicating polio.