Punjab ends Polio drive in 12 districts, vaccinates 6 million children

LAHORE: Punjab has concluded its latest anti-polio vaccination campaign in 12 districts after administering essential polio drops to more than six million children during the first three days, while the drive in Lahore will continue until Sunday to ensure no child under five is left unprotected.

The campaign involved thousands of frontline vaccination workers who visited households, transit points and other high-risk locations to reach children and protect them against the crippling poliovirus.

According to the Punjab Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), more than 900,000 children were vaccinated in Lahore, over 600,000 in Rawalpindi and more than 700,000 in Multan during the first three days of the campaign.

Although vaccination activities have officially concluded in 12 districts, catch-up efforts are continuing to identify and immunise children who may have been missed during the drive.

As part of the monitoring process, Punjab EOC Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz visited Rajanpur district and reviewed field operations, including vaccination arrangements in Rojhan. He also met local representatives and community stakeholders to discuss ways to improve campaign performance and strengthen public participation.

During the visit, he met Member of the National Assembly Sardar Shamsher Mazari and other influential figures, seeking their cooperation in encouraging parents to ensure their children receive polio drops during every vaccination campaign.

Khalid Parvaiz also interacted with frontline vaccination teams in Rojhan, assessed their performance and discussed challenges faced during field operations. Appreciating their efforts, he urged workers to maintain their commitment and ensure that every household was covered.

He directed district teams to strictly follow vaccination microplans, improve monitoring at high-risk locations and transit points, and immediately identify and vaccinate all missed children.

The EOC coordinator emphasised that effective supervision and coordination among district teams were essential to maintaining high vaccination coverage and preventing any gaps in the campaign.

Meanwhile, parents have been urged to make children available for catch-up vaccination. Teams have also been deployed at government hospitals to facilitate children who missed house-to-house visits.

Parents can report missed children by calling the helpline 1122 or taking them to the nearest immunisation centre for free polio drops.

The Punjab Emergency Operations Centre stressed that every child must receive polio drops during every campaign, regardless of previous vaccination history.

With community cooperation and sustained vaccination efforts remaining vital, health authorities are urging parents not to miss any opportunity to protect their children and help achieve a polio-free Pakistan.