Punjab’s latest anti-polio vaccination campaign has concluded after health teams administered polio drops to more than 2.2 million children across 10 districts.
The six-day campaign recorded 98 per cent coverage, according to data shared by the Anti-Polio Programme. The drive was aimed at protecting children against poliovirus and strengthening vaccination coverage across the participating districts.
The campaign was conducted in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Attock, Mianwali, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur.
Six-day vaccination campaign concludes
The campaign continued for six days, during which dedicated vaccination teams visited communities to administer oral polio vaccine drops to eligible children.
According to the Anti-Polio Programme, more than 2.2 million children were reached during the drive, resulting in an overall coverage rate of 98 per cent.
The figure reflects the large-scale effort required to reach children across urban areas, smaller communities and other locations within the participating districts.
Polio vaccination campaigns are conducted periodically across Pakistan as part of efforts to maintain high immunisation coverage and prevent the spread of the disease.
Nine districts complete campaign earlier
While the campaign officially concluded after six days, the vaccination drive in nine of the participating districts had already ended two days earlier.
Officials continued monitoring the campaign to assess coverage and ensure that vaccination targets were reached across the selected areas.
The drive was also postponed in three districts, according to the Anti-Polio Programme. The postponement means vaccination activities in those areas are being handled separately according to the revised schedule.
Parents cooperate with vaccination teams
The Anti-Polio Programme praised parents for their cooperation during the campaign.
Health officials said parents extended support to polio workers and allowed vaccination teams to administer drops to eligible children.
Parental cooperation is an important part of vaccination campaigns because teams often need to visit households and communities directly to ensure that children are not missed.
The programme’s acknowledgment also highlights the role of families in helping health workers achieve broader vaccination coverage.
Importance of polio vaccination
Polio is a highly infectious disease that can cause permanent paralysis, particularly in children. Vaccination remains one of the key measures used to protect children from the virus.
Repeated vaccination campaigns are conducted in areas where authorities seek to maintain high levels of immunity among children.
The oral polio vaccine is administered during campaign activities to children in the target age group, regardless of whether they have previously received routine vaccinations.
Maintaining high coverage is particularly important because children who are missed during vaccination campaigns can remain vulnerable to infection and can contribute to the continued circulation of poliovirus.
Health teams continue field efforts
The campaign required vaccination workers to operate across the 10 participating districts over several days.
Teams typically work in communities and visit households, public locations and other designated areas to identify eligible children and provide them with the vaccine.
The reported 98 per cent coverage indicates that vaccination teams reached a substantial majority of their target population during the latest campaign.
Authorities continue to rely on field workers and community cooperation to identify children who may have been missed and strengthen vaccination coverage in subsequent activities.
Punjab’s continuing vaccination efforts
Punjab is Pakistan’s most populous province, making sustained vaccination efforts important for protecting large numbers of children.
The latest campaign covered major population centres including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Multan, along with districts such as Attock, Mianwali, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur.
The campaign’s completion provides health authorities with updated coverage data that can be used to identify areas requiring additional attention.
With more than 2.2 million children reportedly vaccinated and 98 per cent coverage recorded, the latest drive represents a significant vaccination effort across the participating districts.
Officials are expected to continue monitoring immunisation activities, particularly in areas where campaigns were postponed or where additional children may need to be reached.
Also read: Polio vaccination now mandatory for Pakistani Umrah pilgrims
