Lahore remains Polio-free since April as officials warn against complacency

LAHORE: Lahore has remained free of detected poliovirus since April, but health officials have warned that the threat of the crippling disease persists, urging stronger vaccination campaigns and sustained vigilance ahead of a citywide drive scheduled for November 2–8.

The warning came during a meeting chaired jointly by Punjab Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz and Lahore Chief Executive Officer Health Dr Asif Arbab Khan to assess the district’s performance and preparations for the upcoming anti-polio campaign.

Officials welcomed Lahore’s continued polio-free status, describing it as an important public health achievement. However, they cautioned that the absence of detected poliovirus does not mean the danger has passed, particularly as population movement and the virus’s continued circulation in parts of Pakistan could expose the city to renewed transmission.

More than 2.2 million children vaccinated

Reviewing the September campaign, the meeting was informed that vaccination teams administered polio drops to more than 2.2 million children across Lahore over six days.

Preliminary figures showed 98 per cent vaccination coverage, while data from the seventh day of the campaign was still being entered at the time of reporting.

Despite the encouraging results, officials stressed the need to identify children who may have been missed, verify vaccination records and address gaps in coverage to ensure that every eligible child receives protection against the disease.

Addressing the meeting, EOC Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz called for continued improvements in campaign quality, microplanning and field-level monitoring.

He directed the district health team to address operational shortcomings at the union council level, improve data accuracy and transparency, and ensure that monitoring reports lead to timely corrective measures.

November campaign preparations underway

Dr Asif Arbab Khan emphasised the importance of coordination among district health managers, vaccination teams and campaign supervisors to ensure thorough preparations for the November drive.

He said sustained performance and accountability at every level were essential to preserving Lahore’s progress and ensuring that vaccination activities reached all eligible children.

Participants also reviewed plans to improve team performance, strengthen supervision and maintain engagement with communities. Building parental confidence in vaccination was highlighted as a key priority, particularly to ensure that children under five receive the required vaccine doses during every campaign.

Polio can cause irreversible paralysis, particularly in young children, and there is no cure once paralysis develops. Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent the disease and protect children from its lifelong consequences.

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from Lahore’s district health management team to improve campaign quality, close implementation gaps and maintain high vaccination coverage.

Officials stressed that keeping Lahore polio-free would require consistent efforts from health workers, parents and communities, warning that even a small number of missed children could undermine the progress achieved so far.

With the November campaign approaching, authorities said sustained vigilance and collective responsibility would be critical to protecting Lahore’s children and supporting Pakistan’s wider goal of eradicating polio.