Pakistan’s national polio eradication effort has entered a crucial new phase, with officials launching a targeted “Roadmap to Zero Polio” aimed at eliminating the disease. The plan was announced after a two-day meeting of the National Polio Management Team in Lahore, led by the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio, Ayesha Raza Farooq. She highlighted significant progress in the campaign, while emphasizing ongoing challenges in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi, and parts of Punjab where the virus continues to surface.
Farooq stressed that building trust within communities is now essential to ensuring every child is reached by vaccination teams, calling for stronger public engagement. The new strategy will focus on more effective vaccination campaigns, enhanced planning, and strict accountability to address the final pockets of transmission.
Representatives from national and provincial health authorities, as well as global partners, attended the meeting to coordinate efforts. Speaking to the participants, Farooq called for a collective push to make this a turning point for the country, aiming to protect current and future generations from the threat of polio.
