Health authorities in South Waziristan have launched a fresh round of the anti-polio campaign, mirroring similar drives taking place across other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The initiative aims to administer polio drops to 61,260 children under the age of five throughout the district.
According to officials from the health department and the district administration, the anti-polio campaign has been organized through a wide network of dedicated teams working across South Waziristan to ensure no eligible child is left unvaccinated.
How the Polio Vaccination Drive Is Structured
To carry out the polio vaccination drive effectively, authorities have deployed personnel across 36 union councils, supported by 107 area incharges and 357 mobile teams. These teams are visiting households directly, going door to door to administer polio drops to children under five.
Health officials say this door-to-door polio vaccination model has been designed specifically to minimize the number of missed children and strengthen overall coverage in high-risk areas of the region.
A Dedicated Catch-Up Day for Missed Children
As part of the anti-polio campaign, a special catch-up day has also been scheduled. On this day, vaccination teams will specifically target children who, for one reason or another, did not receive polio drops during the earlier phase of the drive.
Officials explained that the purpose of the catch-up day is to close any remaining gaps and make sure every eligible child within the target age group is reached before the campaign concludes.
Parents Urged to Support the Polio Vaccination Drive
District administration officials, alongside representatives of the health department, have appealed to parents across South Waziristan to fully cooperate with the visiting polio teams. They have specifically urged families to ensure that all children under five in their households receive the polio vaccine without exception.
Authorities noted that consistent parental support remains central to strengthening polio eradication efforts, not only in South Waziristan Lower but across the wider region as a whole. With the combined effort of health teams, area incharges, and local communities, officials remain hopeful that the campaign will achieve strong coverage and move the region closer to a polio-free status.