pk-china-user By Tahir Ali
Authorities in Gwadar on Friday officially launched an anti-polio campaign under Pakistan’s nationwide immunization initiative, aiming to vaccinate 35,664 children under the age of five across the coastal district.
Deputy Commissioner Gwadar Naqeebullah Kakar inaugurated the February phase of the National Immunization Days (NID) campaign by administering polio drops to a child during a ceremony attended by senior district administration and health officials.
According to health authorities, the drive will continue from February 14 to 17, covering children from birth to five years in all 20 union councils of the district. The District Health Officer confirmed that 35,664 children have been set as the vaccination target, with special teams formed to conduct door-to-door immunization.
Addressing the ceremony, Kakar highlighted that polio remains a serious and incurable disease, stressing that vaccination is the only reliable protection against lifelong disability caused by the virus.
He called on parents, teachers, religious scholars, community elders and civil society representatives to extend full cooperation to vaccination teams to ensure that no eligible child is left unvaccinated.
Preparations for the February campaign were completed in January during a high-level coordination meeting chaired by the deputy commissioner, where officials reviewed security arrangements, logistics and operational planning.
Gwadar continues to hold strategic importance in Pakistan’s polio eradication campaign. The district has not recorded any confirmed polio case since 2015. However, environmental samples collected in 2025 detected wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), underscoring the ongoing risk of transmission. Health officials emphasize that sustained immunization efforts are crucial to safeguard children and prevent any resurgence of the disease.
Nationwide, Pakistan reported 30 polio cases in 2025, compared to 74 cases in 2024, while Balochistan recorded zero cases last year. Authorities maintain that continued vaccination drives are essential to sustaining progress toward complete polio eradication in Gwadar and across the country.
