Nationwide campaign vaccinates over 43.7 million children
Pakistan has delivered polio vaccinations to more than 43.7 million children across the country in a recent nationwide campaign, The Express Tribune reported, marking one of the largest rounds conducted this year. The drive spanned communities nationwide, reflecting sustained efforts by health authorities to protect children against poliovirus.
The scale of the campaign underscores the country’s ongoing push to close immunity gaps and prevent transmission, with officials coordinating resources across provinces and districts to reach families in both urban and rural areas. While detailed breakdowns were not immediately available, the headline figure reported by The Express Tribune highlights significant outreach during the latest immunization round.
WHO EMR bulletin tracks Pakistan’s polio status in Week 34
Complementing the national update, the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMRO) included Pakistan in its latest weekly polio bulletin (Issue No. 1403), covering Week 34, ending 24 August 2025, according to a summary posted on ReliefWeb. The bulletin provides a snapshot of polio surveillance and vaccination activities across the region, with Pakistan featuring among the countries where ongoing field monitoring and campaign activities are being tracked.
WHO EMRO’s weekly update serves as a reference point for policymakers and partners, summarizing progress on case investigations, environmental surveillance, and campaign performance indicators. The Week 34 bulletin notes the period covered and situates Pakistan’s activities within the wider regional effort to interrupt poliovirus transmission.
Coordinated effort to protect children
Pakistan’s latest campaign is part of a series of national immunization activities designed to sustain high coverage and rapidly reach children who may have missed previous doses. Authorities typically mobilize health workers and local volunteers to visit households and immunization sites, aiming to ensure that all eligible children are covered during each round.
The over-43.7-million figure is a marker of the campaign’s breadth, indicating nationwide reach at a time when continuous surveillance and rapid response remain central to the eradication strategy. WHO EMRO’s bulletin for Week 34 (ending 24/08/2025) aligns with these efforts by documenting the operational picture in Pakistan within its regional reporting cycle.
Regional monitoring and national progress
Regular WHO EMRO bulletins help track developments in Pakistan and neighboring countries, providing public health officials with comparable, time-bound updates. Issue No. 1403 reiterates the importance of maintaining momentum through synchronized campaigns, vigilant case detection, and the use of environmental sampling to identify poliovirus circulation.
For Pakistan, the combination of large-scale vaccination drives and weekly surveillance updates reflects a two-track approach: expanding immunization coverage while closely watching for any signs of virus circulation. The country’s latest campaign, reaching more than 43.7 million children, signals continued mobilization at scale.
Background and next steps
Polio eradication campaigns in Pakistan are conducted regularly to boost population immunity and reduce the risk of transmission. National health authorities coordinate activities with global partners, using data from surveillance systems to guide where and when to intensify efforts. The Week 34 WHO EMRO bulletin, disseminated via ReliefWeb, situates Pakistan’s actions within the Eastern Mediterranean Region’s broader eradication roadmap.
As surveillance and campaign reporting cycles continue, officials are expected to maintain high-frequency rounds in priority locations, ensuring that children who missed previous visits are reached in subsequent passes. The latest campaign’s reported coverage—more than 43.7 million children—will inform planning for follow-up activities and help gauge the effectiveness of field operations.
Pakistan’s progress, as reflected in national campaign results and WHO’s regional monitoring, will remain under close observation through subsequent weekly bulletins and official updates. Health authorities and partners emphasize that sustaining high coverage and rapid detection are essential to protect children and move closer to interrupting poliovirus transmission.
Sources: The Express Tribune report on Pakistan’s nationwide polio campaign; WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) Polio Bulletin, Issue No. 1403, Week 34 (ending 24/08/2025), via ReliefWeb.