Polio vaccination drive begins in 97 districts across Pakistan
Frontline workers will visit homes to vaccinate about 24 million children under five, with the drive running until Nov. 8.
Pakistan began a sub-national polio vaccination campaign on Monday in 97 selected districts across the country, the National EOC said.
The campaign will run until Nov. 8, according to the National EOC's statement, which described it as an ongoing door-to-door effort.
More than 200,000 frontline workers will visit homes to give polio drops to children, the National EOC said.
The target is to vaccinate about 24 million children under the age of five, the National EOC said.
The campaign is being run in Pakistan and Afghanistan at the same time, the National EOC said.
Parents were urged to make sure every child under five receives polio drops during the November campaign, the National EOC said.
Repeated doses strengthen children's immunity against the poliovirus, and parents were asked to ensure their children are vaccinated, the National EOC said.
Parents were also asked to give the polio teams full cooperation during the drive, the National EOC said.
Polio is a viral disease that mainly affects young children and can cause permanent paralysis, which is why vaccination campaigns are repeated regularly.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are among the few countries where wild poliovirus has not yet been eliminated, and both continue to hold synchronized drives to reach children on both sides of the border.
