Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif launched a nationwide seven-day anti-polio campaign on Sunday, reaffirming the government’s commitment to completely eradicating polio in Pakistan.

The campaign aims to vaccinate millions of children under five across the country, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. The campaign will conclude on April 27.

The Prime Minister personally administered polio drops to children at the campaign’s inaugural ceremony. He highlighted the tireless efforts of the Ministry of Health, specifically mentioning Minister Mustafa Kamal and Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, along with the Secretary, Coordinator, and frontline health workers. He urged all parents to cooperate fully with vaccination teams.

Acknowledging challenges in securing access to children in some areas, the Prime Minister stated that robust measures are in place to ensure the safety of vaccination teams and the smooth implementation of the drive, emphasizing the need for community mobilization.

The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and Bill Gates, for their continued support, expressing confidence in achieving permanent polio eradication through collective resolve and cooperation. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, and other senior health officials attended the launch event.

The country has already reported six cases of the virus in 2025. Minister Kamal told a TV program that 44,000 families had refused vaccination in the last campaign, of which 34,000 were in Karachi alone.