ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to start sub-national polio eradication campaign to vaccinate 34 million children under the age of five in 130 districts across the country.

The polio eradication campaign is starting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday (today) and in Punjab and Sindh form 15th August whereas in Balochistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir from August 17th.

The campaign will be conducted following the successful resumption of polio activities in July 2020 after a four-month suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To build immunity amongst susceptible children, vaccinators will go door-to-door during this campaign to administer the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to children under the age of five, as well as Vitamin A supplements to children who are between 6-59 months of age.

The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme has provided vaccinators with face masks and hand sanitizers for additional protection.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Dr Faisal Sultan expressed confidence that parents will continue to realize the importance of vaccinating their children in the drive.

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan said that the government was committed to eradicate polio from the province.

Inaugurating the polio campaign in Peshawar, he urged religious scholars, media and elected representatives to join hands with the government to root out polio.

The chief minister said polio campaign had been resumed after four months of suspension due to Covid-19.

According to Emergency Operations Center Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, more than four point five million children up to five years of age will be administered anti-polio drops in twenty-one high risk districts of the province during the campaign.