ISLAMABAD, Nov 01 (APP): First Lady of Pakistan Bibi Asifa Bhutto Zardari said as Pakistan begins its sub national Polio Vaccination Campaign from 2 to 8 November, all parents and caregivers should ensure that every child under five receives polio drops during the campaign.
In a message on Polio Vaccination Campaign, she said, “The campaign aims to vaccinate approximately 24 million children in 97 selected districts, with more than 200,000 frontline polio workers taking part. Their efforts are essential to reaching children in every targeted community.”
“Pakistan has made significant progress in reducing polio cases by 99.8 per cent since the launch of its national eradication programme in 1994. However, with seven cases reported so far in 2026, the continued presence of the virus remains a serious concern. Our goal is to make Pakistan polio-free by June 2027, and this requires sustained efforts to reach every eligible child,” she said adding, “Polio has no cure and can cause lifelong paralysis, but it is preventable through vaccination.
Every child under five must receive two drops during each campaign, regardless of how many doses they have received previously. Parents must also ensure that their children complete their routine immunisation on time.”
She said, “For families, this means making sure that children receive their drops when vaccination teams visit their homes and that no child misses a dose. Parents and caregivers should cooperate with frontline workers and facilitate their access to children.”
She paid tribute to the frontline polio workers who continue to serve communities across the country. “Their work, often involving visits to households and communities that are difficult to reach, is central to protecting children,” she added.
Asifa Bhutto urged all parents, community representatives and relevant stakeholders to support the November campaign.
“We must continue these efforts until Pakistan is free of polio and every child is protected from this preventable disease,” she added.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
