NTF Reviews Polio Eradication Situation
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Sep, 2026) National Task Force for Polio Eradication (NTF) on Friday reviewed the status of polio eradication efforts. The task force also assessed preparations for the upcoming subnational polio vaccination campaign, which aims to protect 31 million children from paralytic polio across 115 districts from September 21-27.
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Interventions Ahsan Iqbal chaired the NTF and formally inaugurated the upcoming campaign, administering polio drops to children ahead of the meeting. He urged all chief secretaries to continue to prioritize polio eradication and provide full support to the September vaccination campaign.
“The Prime Minister’s directives are clear: we must interrupt polio transmission so we can protect every child and every family, and that means leading from the front."
Ahsan Iqbal said, "I urge you all to be out in the communities during this upcoming campaign to engage directly with communities and parents and help foster vaccine acceptance.”
He added, “Despite the challenging circumstances, our dedicated frontline workers continue to go door-to-door to reach every child with the disability-preventing polio vaccine. Their courage, commitment, and tireless efforts demonstrate their unwavering resolve to protect Pakistan’s children and advance the national goal of a polio-free Pakistan."
The PM’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, presented a comprehensive briefing from the Polio Eradication Initiative focused on current trends, declining circulation, key challenges and ongoing strategic planning to interrupt polio virus transmission.
“Pakistan has made significant progress, but this decisive phase demands sustained focus and collective action. Our priority is to ensure that no child is missed and we remain focused on strengthening surveillance, campaign quality and community engagement to interrupt transmission,”
Ayesha Raza Farooq said.
Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal urged chief secretaries to remain fully engaged and ensure high-quality implementation of the campaign, particularly in core reservoirs and high-risk areas of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to reach every eligible child.
“We will intensify efforts in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as all areas that are sustaining circulation to keep children protected from this disease,”
Syed Mustafa Kamal added.
The NTF, a high-level forum tasked with overseeing polio eradication in Pakistan, was held ahead of the launch of the fourth polio campaign of 2026, which begins on Monday. In close collaboration with partners, over 273,000 polio frontline workers have been mobilized to go house to house and immunize every child under 5 years of age.
Since 1994, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8% from an estimated 20,000 in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025 due to the safe and effective polio vaccine that is delivered to children.