Pakistan has announced a major step in its polio eradication efforts. The Ministry of Health will now expand polio vaccination to include children up to 15 years of age.
The new strategy will begin in November and cover high-risk areas first. Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta will be the starting points of the campaign. Captain (retd) Anwarul Haq, coordinator of the Polio Eradication Program, said the decision was taken on the recommendation of the Polio Eradication Technical Advisory Group.
Until now, only children under five were eligible for polio vaccination. However, traces of the virus in Karachi and Lahore forced officials to widen the target group. Around four million children in Karachi and 1.5 million in Lahore will receive doses. In Quetta, an injection-based campaign will also be launched for better protection.
The expanded polio vaccination program comes at a time when Pakistan faces financial challenges. International funding for polio eradication has recently been cut by nearly 20 percent. The United States reduced its contributions to global health initiatives, creating gaps in financing.
Pakistan spends about $250 million each year on polio eradication. Most of this comes from international partners, including WHO, UNICEF, USAID, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. With shrinking resources, the Ministry of Health has revised its approach. From next year, campaigns will run for three days instead of five, and staff levels will be reduced.
According to the National Emergency Operation Center, Pakistan has reported 27 polio cases in 2025. Sindh has recorded seven cases, Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan one each, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the worst-hit with 18 cases.
Despite financial pressures, health officials remain determined. The new polio vaccination drive aims to protect millions of children and move Pakistan closer to becoming polio-free.
In other related news also read Polio vaccination now mandatory for Pakistani Umrah pilgrims
