Pakistan’s national polio management team convened on March 25, 2025, to assess readiness for upcoming nationwide polio vaccination campaigns scheduled for April and May. The review follows the confirmation of six polio cases in 2025, adding to the 74 cases reported in the previous year.
Polio, a debilitating disease without a cure, necessitates multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and timely routine immunizations for children under five to ensure adequate protection. The government has planned several nationwide immunization drives this year to address immunity gaps highlighted by last year’s surge in cases.
Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister’s focal person for polio eradication, emphasized the importance of enhancing the effectiveness of the upcoming campaigns to halt the virus’s spread. She stressed that no child should remain unvaccinated during these efforts.
Initiated in 1994, Pakistan’s polio eradication program has faced challenges due to vaccine misinformation and resistance from certain conservative groups. Additionally, polio vaccinators have been targeted by militants in various regions, complicating eradication efforts.
