ISLAMABAD: The final nationwide polio vaccination campaign of the year will begin on Sunday, with authorities targeting more than 45 million children across Pakistan, according to the National Emergency Operations Centre.

The seven-day campaign will run from December 15 to December 21, 2025. More than 400,000 polio workers — including health professionals, volunteers and community members — will be deployed nationwide to administer polio drops through door-to-door visits.

In Punjab, over 23 million children are set to be vaccinated, while Sindh will cover more than 16 million. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa plans to vaccinate over 7.2 million children and Balochistan more than 2.6 million. In Islamabad, the campaign targets over 460,000 children, with more than 228,000 to be covered in Gilgit-Baltistan and around 7 million in Azad Kashmir.

The National EOC termed polio eradication a shared national responsibility and urged parents and communities to fully cooperate with vaccination teams to ensure no child is missed. Officials stressed that while Pakistan has made notable progress in recent years, the threat of polio has not yet been eliminated.

Parents and guardians have been advised to ensure their children receive polio drops during the campaign and to report any missed cases to local health authorities. The EOC said the final drive of the year is critical to maintaining momentum toward the goal of a polio-free Pakistan.