Pakistan Launches First 2026 Polio Campaign in Skardu Amid Ongoing Eradication Drive

By webdesk On Jan 31, 2026

Independent Report
Skardu:
Pakistan on Friday launched its first national polio vaccination campaign of 2026 in Skardu, as authorities intensified efforts to eradicate the virus from remaining high-risk and remote areas.
The campaign was inaugurated at the Regional Headquarters Hospital Skardu by Gilgit-Baltistan caretaker adviser for social welfare, population welfare, women development and child protection, Syeda Fatima Mousavi, who administered polio drops to children at the opening ceremony.
District officials, including Additional Deputy Commissioner Skardu Nisar Hussain, District Health Officer Dr. Karamat Raza, and World Health Organization (WHO) representative Dr. Parvez, attended the event.
Mousavi urged parents to ensure full immunization of their children, stressing that vaccination remains the most effective protection against polio and other preventable diseases.
Dr. Raza said door-to-door vaccination teams had been deployed across the district to ensure complete coverage and prevent missed children.
Pakistan is one of only two countries in the world where polio remains endemic, alongside Afghanistan. According to WHO data, sustained vaccination campaigns are critical to interrupt virus transmission and achieve global eradication targets.