• Anti-polio drive to be conducted from December 16 to 22.
• PM urges parents to ensure vaccination of their children.
• Around 44m children to be vaccinated: PM’s coordinator.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday launched the last anti-polio campaign of 2024 which is set to commence on Monday (tomorrow) across 143 districts in the country after the number of polio cases reached 63 this year.

The premier formally launched the vaccination campaign by administering drops to children during an inauguration event in Islamabad today. This anti-polio drive will be conducted from December 16 to 22.

Addressing the event, PM Shehbaz welcomed international partners including Bill Gates-founded Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and Saudi Arabia for assisting Pakistan in the war against polio.

He said that the Saudi crown prince’s role was appreciable for polio eradication in Pakistan.

“I especially thank the government of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, for his very valuable contribution towards eradicating polio not only in Pakistan but also Afghanistan, and of course, I deeply appreciate the efforts of Bill Gates Foundation, WHO and I want to assure you that together we will march forward and will not rest until polio is thrown out for all times to come,” he added.

During the inauguration, the prime minister highlighted the growing concern of rising polio cases, with around 60 new reported cases, but assured that with the combined efforts of the federal and provincial governments, the country would overcome this challenge.

The provincial distribution of polio cases this year includes 26 in Balochistan, 18 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 17 in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Islamabad, according to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC).

He urged the parents to ensure vaccination of their children to protect them from polio.

The premier also thanked the efforts of polio workers taking part in the immunisation campaign and the cooperation of law enforcement agencies to ensure the safe conduct of the nationwide anti-polio drive.

Speaking on the occasion, PM’s Focal Person on Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq said around 400,000 polio workers across 143 districts of the country will visit every household to administer polio drops to children below five years.

She requested the parents to open their doors and fully cooperate with the polio teams in this campaign.

She noted that the premier’s continuous involvement in the anti-polio efforts served as a testament to his commitment to safeguarding the health of Pakistan’s children.

She assured that the campaign would leave no stone unturned in its efforts to ensure that every child is vaccinated against the disease.

In a pre-recorded message earlier today, the PM’s focal person expressed an aim to ensure access to free-of-cost, completely safe and effective polio vaccinations to all children aged up to five years.

She also said that it was essential to complete the course of vaccinations for immunisation to protect against other deadly diseases alongside polio.

Farooq also paid tribute to frontline polio workers who are serving the nation in difficult conditions in the ongoing struggle against the contagious disease.

PM’s Coordinator on National Health Services Dr Mukhtar Bharath said around 44 million children will be reached out across Pakistan during this last polio eradication drive of the year.

The highly contagious viral disease predominantly affects children under five, particularly those with weak immunity or inadequate vaccination.

With over 60% of children affected by polio in 2024 having not received routine immunisation, health authorities established a high-level committee to improve coordination between the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) and the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), according to The News.

The committee, led by PM’s Coordinator for Health Services Dr Malik Muhtar Ahmed Barath, includes provincial health directors and representatives from international organisations like WHO, UNICEF, CDC, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Its primary focus is to address challenges in high-risk areas and enhance immunisation coverage across the country.