The Pakistan polio drive has entered its second nationwide phase of 2026 as authorities launch a new anti-polio vaccination campaign across the country to protect millions of children from the virus. Health officials confirmed that the drive is now underway in all major provinces and regions, with special focus on high-risk and border areas.
According to the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC), the campaign aims to vaccinate more than 45 million children across Pakistan. The effort involves coordinated field operations in 169 districts, with thousands of health workers going door-to-door to administer polio drops and Vitamin A supplements.
Officials said the campaign will continue until April 19, with a mix of routine vaccination days and follow-up catch-up rounds in sensitive areas. Mobile vaccination teams have also been deployed to ensure coverage in remote and hard-to-reach locations.
In Punjab, the largest province, the target is 23.4 million children. Sindh plans to vaccinate around 10.5 million children during this phase. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa aims to reach 7.3 million children, while Balochistan has set a target of 2.6 million.
In smaller regions, Azad Kashmir is targeting 710,000 children, Gilgit-Baltistan 280,000, and Islamabad nearly 450,000 children.
The NEOC stated that over 400,000 frontline health workers are participating in the nationwide effort. These workers include vaccinators, supervisors, and support staff who play a key role in reaching every household.
Authorities also confirmed that a joint vaccination strategy is in place along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Afghanistan is included in the cross-border coordination plan to reduce the risk of virus transmission between the two countries.
The campaign comes after the successful completion of the first anti-polio drive earlier in the year. NEOC reported fewer cases due to vaccination, but officials say continued coverage is still needed to eliminate the virus.
