LAHORE: Punjab is set to launch its first National Polio Immunization Campaign of 2026 from Monday (today), targeting 17.8 million children under the age of five in a decisive push to sustain pressure on the poliovirus, which is showing signs of decline.
Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator, Adeel Tasawur, said the campaign marks a critical milestone in the country’s drive towards polio eradication.
He noted that recent epidemiological trends point to a visible reduction in poliovirus circulation, underscoring the impact of repeated, high-quality immunization campaigns.
However, he stressed that maintaining momentum, continuity, and uninterrupted pressure on the virus remains essential to achieving complete eradication.
More than 200,000 polio workers will participate in the campaign nationwide, going door to door to vaccinate children. In Lahore, over 14,000 polio workers will be deployed, while Rawalpindi will have more than 8,000 frontline workers engaged in the campaign.
He added that special focus is being placed on high-risk districts as well as mobile and migrant populations to ensure that no child is missed during the campaign.
The Head of the Polio Eradication Programme reiterated that provincial leadership remains fully committed to polio eradication and that all available resources are being mobilized to achieve this goal.
Paying tribute to polio workers, Adeel Tasawur said these frontline heroes are the true guardians of the nation’s future, working tirelessly under challenging conditions to protect children from the crippling disease.
He urged parents and caregivers to ensure that their children receive polio drops in every campaign, noting that polio is an incurable disease that can lead to lifelong disability, and repeated vaccination is the only way to protect children.
Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects children under five years of age and can cause irreversible paralysis. Pakistan remains one of the few countries where poliovirus transmission persists. Through sustained immunization campaigns, strong surveillance, and community support, the country aims to interrupt transmission and achieve a polio-free future.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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