ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's recent anti-polio campaign has failed to meet its full target, leaving over 422,000 children unvaccinated, official sources said.
The sub-national polio eradication campaign, carried out from September 1 to 7 across 81 selected districts, reportedly achieved 98% of its overall vaccination target. However, alarming figures have emerged, revealing that a significant number of children were missed.
According to sources, 355,000 children were unavailable during the campaign, while 19,403 missed vaccination due to security issues and local boycotts. Additionally, 47,793 cases of boycott-related refusals were reported nationwide.
Among the provinces, Sindh recorded the highest number of unvaccinated children at 216,881, followed by Punjab with 82,792, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (68,529), and Balochistan (47,335). Islamabad saw 5,098 children left unvaccinated, while Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan reported 647 and 870 missed cases respectively.
Gilgit-Baltistan led in coverage, exceeding its target with 101% vaccination, while Punjab had the lowest coverage at 97%. The federal capital, along with Sindh, KP, Balochistan, and AJK, achieved 98% coverage, officials stated.
Despite nearing target goals in percentage terms, the high number of unvaccinated children remains a concern for health authorities, raising fears of continued virus circulation. Authorities are now assessing strategies to improve outreach and address community resistance.
