ISLAMABAD: Nationwide polio vaccination drive is set to commence on October 25, aiming to immunise over 4.5 million children across Pakistan.

According to sources, campaign will be conducted in three phases, starting from Sindh province. First phase will begin on October 25 in Sindh, followed by second phase on October 28 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Third phase will commence on November 11 in Punjab, Balochistan, and Islamabad. Drive aims to vaccinate over 4.5 million children, including 2.3 million in Punjab, 1.6 million in Sindh, 730,000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 265,000 in Balochistan. Additionally, 461,125 children will be vaccinated in Islamabad, 740,000 in Azad Kashmir, and 281,232 in Gilgit-Baltistan. Vaccination drive will also include vitamin A supplements for children aged 6 to 59 months. Total of 455,504 frontline workers will be deployed for campaign. Sources claimed that two new polio cases were reported from Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts of Sindh province. National Reference Lab of National Institutes of Health confirmed these cases.