Sindh has launched a large-scale sub-national polio vaccination campaign targeting more than 5.8 million children under the age of five across 20 districts.
The campaign is being conducted under the supervision of the Sindh Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication as part of ongoing efforts to eliminate poliovirus transmission in high-risk areas of the province.
According to officials, the anti-polio drive covers 1,125 union committees in districts including Badin, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Jamshoro, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Thatta, Umerkot, Khairpur and several others.
More than 17,000 frontline health workers are participating in the campaign, supported by over 15,000 security personnel to ensure safe and uninterrupted vaccination activities. Authorities stated that the campaign will run for five days in most districts, while operations in Hyderabad will continue for seven days.
Meanwhile, Karachi’s special booster dose campaign has resumed after a one-day pause. The two-week exercise, which started on May 12, is being conducted in 89 union committees of the city. So far, more than 1.1 million children have received booster doses against a target of 1.8 million.
Health teams are administering vaccines at schools, hospitals, seminaries, community centres and remote localities to ensure maximum coverage. Special outreach efforts are also focusing on street children and underserved communities considered more vulnerable to poliovirus transmission.
The EOC highlighted that Karachi’s dense population, continuous migration and the existence of high-risk localities increase the possibility of virus spread, making booster vaccinations especially important.
According to the World Health Organization, vaccination remains the most effective method of preventing polio, a highly infectious disease that can cause lifelong paralysis in children.
Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries where polio is still endemic. Health officials have urged parents to reject misinformation and ensure that children receive polio drops during every campaign.
The latest initiative reflects ongoing efforts by health authorities to strengthen immunity among children and move closer to the complete eradication of polio in Pakistan.
