The Ministry of Health has announced a major shift in its polio eradication strategy, extending the vaccination age limit from 5 years to 15 years. The new campaign will launch in November 2025, starting from Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta.
🔄 Why the Age Limit Changed
Captain (retd) Anwarul Haq, National Coordinator for the Polio Eradication Program, revealed that the step was taken on the recommendations of the Technical Advisory Group on Polio.
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Previously: Only children under 5 years were vaccinated.
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Now: Children up to 15 years will be included in the campaign.
The decision comes after repeated detection of the virus in Karachi and Lahore.
📍 Target Cities & Coverage
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Karachi: 4 million children
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Lahore: 1.5 million children
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Quetta: Injection-based campaign for high-risk communities
This will be one of the largest vaccination drives in Pakistan in recent years.
💰 Funding Challenges
Pakistan spends $250 million annually on its anti-polio program, most of it from international donors like WHO, UNICEF, USAID, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
But with a 20% decline in international funding, major changes are being made:
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Campaign duration reduced from 5 days to 3 days
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Downsizing of staff at district and tehsil levels
📊 Current Polio Situation (2025)
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Total Cases: 27
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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa → 18 cases
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Sindh → 7 cases
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Punjab → 1 case
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Gilgit-Baltistan → 1 case
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Officials warn that shrinking resources and virus persistence in Karachi and Lahore make this broader campaign essential.
