Islamabad, November 08, 2023 : According to sources, the interim administration in Pakistan has made the decision to initiate a phased “special anti-polio” campaign in November.
The upcoming drive, set to commence later this month, will mark the final anti-polio campaign of 2023. Pakistan has taken this decision in response to the discovery of the poliovirus in sewage lines across 31 districts in the country.
According to sources within the health ministry, the anti-polio campaign will be conducted in two stages, with the first phase scheduled from November 20 to 24, followed by the second phase from November 27 to December 3.
This initiative aims to provide the vaccine, along with an additional dose of vitamin A, to over 44.5 million children under the age of five. According to the sources, more than 300,000 frontline workers will actively participate in the anti-polio campaign. Health officials have underlined the ongoing challenge posed by polio and emphasized the collective effort required to eliminate this threat.
On October 21, Pakistan’s health ministry confirmed the fourth polio case of the year, with a 24-year-old individual in the city being diagnosed with the disease. It’s important to note that Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries globally where polio continues to be endemic.
Previously, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar pledged the government’s commitment to combat “anti-vaxxers” and make the vision of a polio-free Pakistan a reality.
