PM’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication leads review of the September campaign that reached nearly 33 million children, vows to continue focused efforts to protect Pakistani children from devastating effects of polio.

Islamabad, 28, September 2024 at the conclusion of a critical polio vaccination campaign held in September to reach 33 million children with the polio vaccine, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme convened a high-level review meeting in Islamabad to assess campaign outcomes and conduct a detailed review of the successes and challenges.

Led by PM’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication, Ms. Ayesha Raza Farooq, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication, Mr. Anwarul Haq, and provincial EOC coordinators reviewed campaign progress in all 116 districts that were covered, the successes and challenges and the way forward to implement more polio campaigns.

During the large-scale campaign that began on September 9, nearly 33 million children under the age of five across 116 districts were vaccinated, marking a significant milestone in the national effort to eradicate polio. The campaign was specially focused on vaccinating children in high-risk areas where the virus has been detected persistently and was meant to ensure protection for children from the crippling poliovirus.

Congratulating the team for conducting an effective campaign that reached its target, Ms. Ayesha Raza Farooq said that through renewed focus on plugging gaps in campaign operations, the program is back on track towards eradication.

“We saw strong inter-provincial coordination and collaboration between provincial governments, health teams, and law enforcement agencies. We also made tremendous efforts to update our understanding of migrant and mobile populations to be able to better reach these moving communities and vaccinate vulnerable children,” she said. “We are seeing progress in some key areas, but we will see there is still much work to do as we prepare for the October campaign.”

The PM’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, Ms. Ayesha Raza, further highlighted the strong coordination among provinces that was a hallmark of the September polio campaign.

Ms. Ayesha reaffirmed that the program, supported by the government, is implementing a comprehensive strategic plan to eradicate polio by mid-2025, focusing on high-quality campaigns, targeted outbreak responses, and strengthening routine immunization.

NEOC Coordinator Captain Anwaarul Haq emphasized the need for ongoing improvements, especially in response to the recent polio cases. “Despite the progress we’ve made, the emergence of new cases is a clear reminder that our efforts are not yet complete. We have two additional campaigns scheduled for October and November 2024, which will focus on closing the gaps identified in the September campaign and strengthening vaccination efforts in hard-to-reach areas,” he stated.

So far in 2024, Pakistan has reported 24 cases of polio, with the latest case from Hyderabad district in Sindh. The review meeting reaffirmed the program’s priority of reaching mobile and migratory populations, enhancing transit teams’ outreach, and ensuring that vaccination efforts meet the highest standards.

In conclusion, Ms. Ayesha expressed gratitude for the continued support from the government, donors, and partners. “With the unwavering backing of our government and partners, we will safeguard our children and bring Pakistan closer to eradicating polio.”

The Pakistan Polio Eradication Program remains steadfast in its mission to eliminate polio and protect future generations from the debilitating effects of polio.

Note for Editor:

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus mainly affecting children under the age of five years. It invades the nervous system and can cause paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease. Each time a child under the age of five is vaccinated, their protection against the virus is increased. Repeated immunisations have protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries in the world to become polio-free. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two remaining polio endemic countries globally. 

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