Pakistan Vaccinates Over 44 Million Children in Final Polio Drive of 2025

Pakistan Vaccinates Over 44 Million Children in Final Polio Drive of 2025
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Pakistan has concluded its final nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2025, immunizing more than 44.6 million children during a weeklong drive, health officials said. The campaign, carried out from Dec. 15 to 21, targeted children across the country through school-based programs, community vaccination points and door-to-door outreach.

According to the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC), the largest number of vaccinations was recorded in Punjab, where nearly 22.9 million children were reached, followed by Sindh with about 10.6 million. More than 7.15 million children were vaccinated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and over 2.58 million in Balochistan. Smaller but significant numbers were reported in Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Pakistan remains one of only two countries, along with Afghanistan, where wild poliovirus is still endemic. Health authorities say repeated nationwide campaigns are essential to interrupt transmission, particularly in areas affected by misinformation, access challenges and security concerns.

In a statement, the NEOC praised parents, provincial administrations, law enforcement agencies and frontline health workers for their cooperation. Officials said efforts will continue into 2026, with enhanced surveillance and follow-up campaigns aimed at reaching missed children and high-risk communities to move closer to polio eradication.