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Express Tribune
27-05-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
President, PM condemn deadly attack on polio team in Nushki
Listen to article Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday condemned a deadly attack on a polio vaccination team in Nushki, Balochistan. A police constable assigned to guard the team was martyred, and another policeman was injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire. The attack took place on Tuesday as the team was carrying out routine vaccination work in the area. President Zardari expressed deep concern over the incident and paid tribute to polio workers who risk their lives to protect children across the country. In a message tied to the ongoing nationwide anti-polio campaign, Zardari noted that cases of the crippling disease have dropped by over 90 percent due to consistent vaccination efforts, monitoring, and the bravery of health teams. However, he warned that the fight against polio is not yet over and called for continued support for eradication efforts. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack and offered condolences to the family of the slain worker. He vowed that those responsible would face strict action and reaffirmed his government's commitment to protecting polio teams from militant threats. Polio teams in Pakistan have frequently been targeted in deadly attacks, particularly in remote or conflict-affected areas, making the country one of only two where polio remains endemic. Pakistan has recorded 10 polio cases so far in 2025, official figures show. Peanwhile two polio workers were abducted by armed men on in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Tank district, during an ongoing anti-polio campaign on Monday. The incident occurred in the Jandola tribal subdivision. The victims were identified as Sifatullah, a COMNet staff member, and Hizbullah, a volunteer. Both were performing vaccination duties at the time of the abduction. Pakistan launches third nationwide polio drive of 2025 Pakistan's Polio Programme launched its third National Immunisation Days (NIDs) campaign of the year on Sunday at the National Emergency Operations Centre in Islamabad. The campaign was inaugurated by Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister's Focal Person for Polio Eradication, along with key programme officials and partner organisations. To mark the launch, Ayesha Raza Farooq administered oral polio vaccine and Vitamin A drops to children under five, reaffirming the government's commitment to wiping out polio. The weeklong drive began on May 26 and aims to vaccinate over 45 million children under the age of five.
Express Tribune
26-05-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Year's third polio drive kicks off
A health worker administers polio drops to a child during a door-to-door vaccination campaign amidst heavy snow in the Bakwali-Surgan area of Azad Jammu Kashmir's Neelum Valley, on February 4, 2025. (AFP In continued efforts toward a polio-free Pakistan, the Pakistan Polio Programme launched its third National Immunisation Days (NIDs) campaign of the year on Sunday at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), Islamabad. The campaign was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister's Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq, alongside members of the Polio Programme's core group and representatives of partner organisations. To mark the launch, Farooq administered oral polio vaccine and Vitamin A drops to children under five, reinforcing the government's unwavering commitment to eradicating the crippling disease from every corner of the country. Scheduled to begin on May 26, the weeklong campaign aims to vaccinate over 45 million children under five, making it a critical intervention in Pakistan's final push to interrupt poliovirus transmission and achieve eradication by the end of 2025. "Polio eradication is not just a health goal — it is a national imperative and a matter of immense pride for our country," Farooq said. "This third campaign of 2025 marks a decisive milestone in our 2-4-6 roadmap. These back-to-back rounds from September 2024 to May 2025 represent our most strategic opportunity to close immunity gaps and halt virus circulation before the high transmission season begins." Farooq acknowledged the persistent challenges in key reservoirs such as Karachi, South K-P and Quetta Block but noted encouraging progress in reaching previously underserved populations. She also extended heartfelt appreciation to the 400,000 frontline workers powering the campaign, including 225,000 female vaccinators and recognised the critical role of civil and military law enforcement in ensuring safe access to children. Despite major gains, wild poliovirus continues to pose a threat. Pakistan has confirmed 10 cases so far this year. Environmental surveillance has detected the virus in 272 sewage samples from 127 testing sites, across 68 districts, signalling continued circulation. Speaking at the event, UNICEF representative in Pakistan, Abdullah Fadil, expressed confidence in the programme's direction. As he concluded his tenure in Pakistan, Fadil commended the national leadership and Farooq for their tireless dedication to polio eradication. "Pakistan is closer than ever to making history. With continued political will, community engagement, and coordinated action by all partners, I believe this country can soon achieve a polio-free future," he said. The public is strongly encouraged to cooperate with vaccination teams and report any missed children via the Sehat Tahaffuz Helpline 1166 or the WhatsApp Helpline at 0346-7776546.
Express Tribune
01-03-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Pakistan reports sixth polio case of 2025
A health worker administers anti-polio drops to a child, marking the launch of the latest anti-polio campaign in the city. PHOTO: JALAL QURESHI/EXPRESS Listen to article The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed a polio case from District Thatta, Sindh, marking the fourth such case in the province and the sixth case in Pakistan for the year 2025, according to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Promgramme website. This comes as part of a growing concern about the persistence of polio in certain regions of the country. Last year, 74 cases of polio were reported in Pakistan, with the majority coming from Balochistan (27 cases) and Sindh (23 cases). Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa reported 22 cases, while Punjab and Islamabad reported one case each. Polio remains a crippling disease that causes paralysis and has no cure. Vaccination, especially for children under five, is the most effective way to prevent the spread of the virus. Health authorities stress the importance of completing the full vaccination schedule to ensure high immunity in children, particularly in regions like Sindh where cases have been more frequent. The Polio Programme has been actively rolling out vaccination campaigns across Pakistan, with the first nationwide polio campaign of 2025 reaching over 45 million children earlier this month. Additionally, a targeted campaign in Quetta Division and Karachi took place from February 20 to 28, 2025, where around 900,000 children received both injectable and oral polio vaccines for an added immunity boost. These efforts are part of the Big Catch-Up initiative, which is being implemented by the Expanded Programme on Immunization to immunize children against 12 preventable childhood diseases. In a bid to address the potential cross-border transmission, a targeted vaccination activity was conducted in 104 union councils near Afghanistan or those hosting Afghan refugee populations. Over 600,000 children were vaccinated in this high-risk region. The Polio Programme is calling on parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated against polio, underlining that every vaccination opportunity counts in the fight to eradicate the virus and prevent further cases of paralysis. Earlier, Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its $500 million commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), aimed at eradicating wild polio and controlling vaccine-derived polio outbreaks in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday.
