Campaign begins to protect 45 million children from polio in Pakistan

Islamabad: A nationwide campaign to protect millions of children from polio kicked off in Pakistan, an official statement has said.

The campaign, which aims to reach more than 45 million children across the country, was launched on Monday and will continue until November 3, the statement from the National Institute of Health said.

This was Pakistan’s third nationwide campaign this year, launched in response to an alarming increase in polio cases, with 41 cases reported so far in 2024, the statement added.

Health officials urged parents to fully cooperate with polio workers to keep children safe through vaccination. According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two nations where polio remains endemic.