KP Health Minister Khaliq ur Rehman Inaugurates Anti-Polio Drive

(By Anwar Zeb Khan, Bureau Chief Peshawar) PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Khaliq ur Rehman on Sunday inaugurated the September anti-polio vaccination campaign across the province, stressing that complete eradication of polio is a national responsibility requiring coordinated efforts by all stakeholders.The campaign will be conducted in all districts of the province. In most districts, the campaign will continue from September 21 to 24, 2026, while in Peshawar and Khyber, it will continue until September 27.
According to officials, around 7.3 million children under the age of five will be administered anti-polio drops during the campaign with vaccination teams expected to reach approximately 6.5 million households.
Around 35,000 polio teams have been constituted for the campaign, while nearly 75,000 personnel, including polio workers, area in-charges and Union Council Medical Officers, will perform their duties. Around 50,000 security personnel will also be deployed to ensure the safety of vaccination teams and the peaceful conduct of the campaign.Speaking at the inauguration, Health Minister Khaliq ur Rehman said the complete elimination of polio required a collective and coordinated role by the health department, district administrations, law-enforcement agencies, media, religious scholars, medical experts, educational institutions and civil society.He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was taking steps to strengthen the healthcare system, improve basic health facilities, enhance the capacity of human resources and upgrade health infrastructure.The minister said the immunisation system was also being further integrated and strengthened to provide effective protection to children against polio and other communicable diseases.He appealed to parents and guardians to ensure that every child below the age of five received anti-polio drops during the campaign. He stressed that reaching every child and ensuring that no child remained unvaccinated was essential for the complete eradication of the crippling disease.According to the briefing, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 20 polio cases during 2025, while three cases have been reported in the province so far in 2026, including two from Bannu and one from North Waziristan.Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahab Ali Shah, Health Secretary Fayyaz Ali Shah, EOC Coordinator Shafiullah Khan, representatives of partner organisations, heads of polio teams and media representatives were also present on the occasion.The health minister appreciated the services of polio workers, security personnel and all relevant departments, expressing the resolve to further accelerate coordinated efforts for the complete eradication of polio from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.