RAWALPINDI: More than 990,000 children less than five years of age will get polio vaccination in the Rawalpindi district as a four-day campaign starts on Monday (today).
The Punjab Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) will launch the polio eradication campaign in 13 districts, including Rawalpindi.
This will be the fifth polio vaccination campaign in Punjab this year and the third sub-national immunisation days (SNIDs) campaign, following two national immunisation days (NIDs) and two earlier SNIDs rounds. The repeated vaccination drives are part of an intensive national strategy to interrupt poliovirus transmission and eradicate polio from Pakistan.
With 2027 widely viewed by public health experts as a potentially decisive year for Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts, extensive vaccination campaigns are also being planned for the coming year, continuing through June, to sustain immunity, close vaccination gaps and prevent the virus from spreading.
District Anti-Polio Committee reviews arrangements for campaign which will continue for four days
During the November campaign, more than 77,000 frontline workers will go door to door to administer polio vaccine drops to children, ensuring that every eligible child is protected against the crippling disease.
In Rawalpindi, over 4,210 polio teams will go door to door to administer drops to children. As many as 270 supervisors will also perform their duties in 212 union councils, while partner staff from WHO and Unicef will also supervise.
With 13 districts infected, Punjab faces significant risks of poliovirus transmission, particularly from regions where the virus remains endemic.
According to Punjab EOC Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz, the November campaign will continue for seven days in Lahore, while the remaining 12 districts will observe a four-day drive.
“Every campaign is an important opportunity to protect children against polio. Parents must ensure that all children under five receive polio drops during every campaign, even if they have been vaccinated in previous rounds,” said Mr Parvaiz.
Meanwhile, the District Anti-Polio Committee at a meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Nadeem Nasir reviewed the arrangements for the anti-polio campaign as well as an assessment of the performance of the previous campaign.
Through a presentation, the meeting reviewed the performance of various Union Councils, vaccination coverage among children, cases of children who were missed and instances where parents refused vaccination.
According to the presentation, a target of 989,924 children was set for the previous campaign in the district.
The deputy commissioner directed that special attention be paid in the upcoming campaign to those Union Councils where coverage had fallen short during the previous drive.
He stressed the need for effective follow-up to identify missed children and ensure they receive the polio vaccine.
He also issued specific instructions regarding the Lab Thattho Union Council in Taxila.
He said the Health Department, the WHO and other relevant institutions must work in close coordination and follow an integrated strategy.
He said the performance of field teams should be continuously monitored, and that there should be no room for any negligence or lapses. All relevant officers were directed to finalise administrative and field preparations before the commencement of the campaign, ensuring that every child could be reached.
Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2026
