CS reviews results of polio eradication campaign

A high level meeting chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah reviewed the overall performance of the recent anti-polio campaign and discussed the strategy for upcoming immunization drives in the province

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Feb, 2026) A high level meeting chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah reviewed the overall performance of the recent anti-polio campaign and discussed the strategy for upcoming immunization drives in the province.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of relevant departments and representatives of the provincial polio eradication program.

Participants were briefed on the outcomes of February 2026 campaign and was told that target of 6.5 million children was set across the province.

The meeting was informed that significant progress had been made in reaching children who had previously missed vaccination. Authorities noted a marked reduction in the number of missed children as well as refusal cases attributing the improvement to enhanced public awareness and an effective communication strategy.

The CS was briefed on environmental surveillance reports. It was told that according to officials, 34 environmental samples were collected from 23 districts in January 2026 of which only four tested positive for the poliovirus. The positive samples were reported from Bannu, South Waziristan Upper and North Waziristan while the remaining samples were declared negative.

Officials said the consistent implementation of successive vaccination campaigns over the past few months had led to a noticeable decline in the positivity rate of environmental samples indicating a reduction in the circulation of the poliovirus in the province.

Addressing the meeting, CS emphasized that complete eradication of polio remains a top priority of the government. He directed district administrations, the health department and other relevant agencies to work in close coordination to ensure effective implementation of future campaigns.

He instructed authorities to finalize preparations for the upcoming anti-polio drive scheduled for April, strengthen micro-planning and adopt special strategies for sensitive areas to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated.

The meeting also stressed the need to further expand community engagement efforts including the involvement of religious and community leaders to eliminate refusal cases entirely.

The CS directed that all administrative and security arrangements be completed in advance to ensure the smooth conduct of the April campaign.