ISLAMABAD:The National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) has rolled out the Eid Mubarak Initiative, a targeted campaign aimed at curbing the transmission of wild poliovirus (WPV) across Pakistan. The initiative includes setting up vaccination stalls at high-traffic locations and deploying teams at transit points to immunize children who may have missed recent polio drives.
With population movement expected to surge during Eid festivities, the NEOC has strategically positioned 145 *Eid Mubarak Stalls* in major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad. These stalls, operational from March 25 to April 3, will be stationed in busy shopping malls, amusement parks, and other crowded areas to reach children traveling with their families before the next nationwide vaccination campaign in April.
In addition to administering polio drops, the initiative focuses on community engagement through interactive awareness sessions. Parents and visitors will receive hands-on training in vaccine administration, empowering them to support eradication efforts. To encourage participation, children will be given small gifts and souvenirs.
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The campaign has also enlisted female influencers, local officials, and stakeholders to address vaccine hesitancy and promote immunization. A total of 644 vaccination teams have been deployed across the country to ensure maximum coverage.
Pakistan remains one of the last countries battling wild poliovirus, and this initiative underscores its commitment to eliminating the disease. The next nationwide polio drive, scheduled from April 21 to 27, aims to vaccinate 45.4 million children under five.
Health officials urge parents to take advantage of the Eid Mubarak Stalls and ensure their children are protected against the debilitating virus.
