Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed his government’s resolve to completely eradicate polio from Pakistan, stressing that sustained emergency measures and nationwide coordination remain critical despite notable progress.
During a meeting in Islamabad with President of Global Development at the Gates Foundation, Dr Chris Elias, the prime minister said the government is pursuing a comprehensive, action-oriented strategy supported by a dedicated and effective team. He highlighted close coordination between the federal and provincial governments to ensure polio teams have uninterrupted access across the country.
PM Shehbaz expressed deep gratitude to Bill Gates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their continued cooperation and support in Pakistan’s fight against polio, calling their partnership vital to ongoing efforts. He added that polio eradication projects under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) will continue nationwide to maintain momentum.
While acknowledging progress, the prime minister warned that emergency measures are still necessary until the virus is eliminated entirely, underscoring that any lapse could reverse hard-won gains.
Dr Chris Elias praised the prime minister’s personal involvement and leadership, noting that Pakistan is moving in the right direction toward full eradication. He assured continued constructive engagement with federal and provincial authorities and relevant institutions to strengthen the campaign.
However, official data reveals lingering challenges. Pakistan’s final nationwide anti-polio campaign of 2025 fell short of its full target, achieving 98.6% coverage and leaving nearly 900,000 children unvaccinated, according to sources cited by ARY News.
The campaign, conducted from December 15 to 21, saw 872,776 children miss vaccination. Of these, 669,326 were unavailable at the time of visits, 148,774 missed doses due to security concerns and boycotts, and 54,676 cases involved parental refusal.
Notably, no national or sub-national polio drive in 2025 managed to achieve complete coverage, highlighting the persistent operational, security, and social challenges Pakistan must overcome to finally eliminate the disease.
