Pakistan launches third annual polio immunization drive
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan launched this year’s third anti-polio immunization drive on Monday to vaccinate 33.6 million children under five in 124 districts across the country including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Around 223,000 polio workers will go from home to home while adhering to strict COVID-19 protocols, including wearing a mask, using a hand sanitizer, and maintaining a safe distance during the vaccination drive.
Health officials said the anti-polio campaign has been highly successful this year, with only one wild polio case reported this year as compared to the 54 cases documented in the same time period in 2020.
SAPM on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan said that despite the “complex challenges” posed by the COVID 19 pandemic,” the health officials were “optimistic about controlling polio before the end of 2022.”