Senior officials reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating poliovirus transmission while accelerating routine immunization coverage through digital innovation and expanded vaccination services.
Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating poliovirus transmission after a high-level delegation from the Polio Oversight Board met Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah in Peshawar to review the province’s progress and future strategy.
The delegation included Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sania Nishtar, Dr. Chris Elias, and other senior global health officials. Discussions focused on accelerating efforts to eradicate polio while strengthening routine immunization services across the province.
Officials said the government’s immediate priority is to completely halt the transmission of the poliovirus. Its long-term objective is to establish a resilient immunization system capable of reaching every child with life-saving vaccines.
Under the provincial Immunization Roadmap, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa aims to increase full immunization coverage to 85% by March 2027. Authorities highlighted significant progress, noting that full immunization coverage has risen from 55% in 2022 to 71% in 2026. The functionality of vaccination centers has reached 92%, while immunization services are now accessible to 86% of the province’s population.
The province has also successfully transitioned to the National Electronic Immunization Registry, enabling real-time digital vaccination records, identification of missed and zero-dose children, and improved monitoring of immunization coverage.
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