Pakistan is launching a two-week nationwide campaign to vaccinate 57 million children against polio, measles and rubella.
According to the country’s National Emergency Operations Center, 34.5 million children will be vaccinated against measles and rubella, while polio drops will be administered to another 23.3 million children.
Measles tends to result in a fever and a rash, but most children recover. That being said, according to the World Health Organization, measles is a leading cause of death for young children.
Pakistan is one of only two countries in the world – the other being Afghanistan – where polio has not been eradicated. Since the beginning of 2025, Pakistan has seen 30 polio cases, underscoring the need for this important vaccination drive.
Historically, militants have targeted vaccination drives, saying that they are a Western scheme to sterilize children. More than 200 police officers and polio workers have been killed since the 1990s.
