ISLAMABAD – Over 51.5 million children across Pakistan have been vaccinated against measles, rubella, and polio during a 13-day nationwide campaign, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) reported on Monday.
The campaign, conducted from November 17 to 29, 2025, targeted children aged six months to five years, with a particular focus on 23.3 million children in 90 high-risk districts for poliovirus vaccination.
“More than 33 million children were vaccinated against measles and rubella during the campaign,” the NEOC said. “More than 18.5 million children were administered polio drops in the national campaign.”
Regional Vaccination Coverage
The vaccination campaign covered all provinces and regions:
- Punjab: Over 5.5 million children vaccinated against polio
- Southern Sindh: More than 6.4 million children
- Northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Over 4.2 million children
- Southwestern Balochistan: More than 1.7 million children
- Islamabad Capital Territory: Over 335,000 children
- Gilgit-Baltistan: More than 131,000 children
The last polio campaign of the year is scheduled from December 15-21, 2025, with NEOC urging parents to ensure their children receive vaccination.
Public Health Context
Measles, rubella, and polio remain significant public health challenges in Pakistan.
- Measles and rubella spread via respiratory droplets and can cause pneumonia, encephalitis, and other complications.
- Polio attacks the nervous system, potentially causing irreversible paralysis.
Despite being vaccine-preventable, sporadic outbreaks persist due to gaps in immunization coverage, misinformation, and limited healthcare access, particularly in remote areas.
Over the past three years, Pakistan has reported more than 131,000 measles cases and 30 polio cases in 2025. Alongside Afghanistan, Pakistan remains one of the only two countries where polio is endemic.
In October 2025, Pakistan conducted another week-long anti-polio campaign, reaching over 45 million children despite security challenges, demonstrating its continued commitment to disease prevention.
Conclusion
The recent campaign underscores Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases and highlights the critical importance of community awareness, accessibility, and timely immunization in eradicating measles, rubella, and polio nationwide.
