Children up to 15 to get polio vaccine in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Health has announced a new polio eradication strategy, expanding vaccination to include children up to the age of 15.

The initiative, starting in November, will initially be carried out in Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta.

Captain (retd) Anwarul Haq, the coordinator of the Polio Eradication Program, told Samaa TV that the decision to expand the age bracket was made on the recommendation of the Polio Eradication Technical Advisory Group.

Previously, only children under five were vaccinated, but persistent traces of the virus in Lahore and Karachi prompted the need for a broader approach

According to Haq, the vaccination drive will target four million children in Karachi and 1.5 million children in Lahore, making it one of the largest campaigns in recent years.

Read More: New polio case detected in Hyderabad, Pakistan’s tally rises to 27

An injection-based campaign will also be launched in Quetta, ensuring wider coverage and stronger immunity among children in high-risk areas.

Recently, Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate polio were dealt a major blow as international funding was slashed by up to 20%, with the United States reducing its contributions to global health organisations. The shortfall forced Pakistan’s health authorities to restructure vaccination campaigns and push for a one-year deadline to wipe out the virus.

Pakistan receives its polio eradication support through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in Geneva. Each year, about $250 million is spent on anti-polio efforts in the country, with 80% of funding provided by USAID, UNICEF, WHO, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other partners.

The Health Ministry noted that while Pakistan’s friendly countries also participate in funding, global contributions are gradually shrinking, creating urgent challenges for the campaign.