The District Emergency Operations Center (DEOC) in Peshawar has completed preparations for a six-day special polio booster dose campaign, which starts on October 26. The drive will target 1,111,107 children aged between four months and ten years across 48 high-risk union councils.
The campaign aims to strengthen children’s resistance to poliovirus and reduce its spread, particularly in areas where the virus has been detected in environmental samples. Recent polio cases in Khyber district and other parts of the province show the disease remains a continuing threat. A 10-year-old child infected in Khyber has also highlighted the need to protect older children.
How the vaccination drive will be delivered
Health teams will give booster doses at schools, health facilities and community vaccination points. Children aged five to 10 in the targeted union councils will also receive oral polio vaccine drops.
The DEOC has deployed 1,728 trained polio teams and 1,383 social mobilisers. Authorities have also arranged security for vaccination teams.
Afaq Wazir urges parents and leaders to back drive
Afaq Wazir, Deputy Commissioner Peshawar, advised parents to make sure children in the age group receive the booster shot to prevent permanent polio-related disability.
He also urged leaders of civil society, medical professionals and religious scholars to support the campaign and ensure that every eligible child is vaccinated.
