On Sunday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched the final anti-polio campaign of 2024, aiming to address an alarming surge in polio cases across the country. The week-long drive, beginning December 16, will focus on immunizing over 44 million children under the age of five in 143 districts across the country, according to a report by Dawn.
Polio, a disease that has been largely eradicated worldwide, continues to persist in Pakistan and Afghanistan — two countries where the virus remains endemic. While global efforts have nearly eliminated the threat, challenges such as inadequate healthcare infrastructure, vaccine misinformation, and public resistance to immunization have hindered Pakistan’s progress.
The crisis is particularly acute in Balochistan, which accounts for 26 of the 63 cases reported in the region this year — representing over 40% of the total. Despite the efforts of frontline workers, the virus remains a significant threat in districts such as Quetta, Chaman, Dera Bugti, and Qila Abdullah, where poor healthcare access and widespread misconceptions about vaccination have exacerbated the problem.
The Emergency Operations Centre in Balochistan has announced a targeted polio drive starting December 17, aiming to vaccinate 2.66 million children in the region. Over 11,600 teams, including mobile, fixed-site, and transit units, will participate in the campaign. Authorities have urged parents to cooperate with vaccination teams, warning that failure to vaccinate could leave children vulnerable to life-long disability.