Islamabad, June 27, 2025 – The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for Polio Eradication has concluded a comprehensive review of Pakistan’s polio eradication activities, commending the government’s commitment to polio eradication and providing strategic guidance on how to address the main remaining barriers to ending polio ¬– including missed children during campaigns, access limitations, vaccine hesitancy, and population movement.
The meeting, held in Islamabad from June 24-26, brought together international and national experts for detailed discussions to assess the status of polio eradication activities in the past six months, as well as review progress on the National Emergency Action Plan for Polio Eradication (NEAP) and provide concrete recommendations on areas for improvement. The review came at a critical time when Pakistan, which is facing a resurgence of wild poliovirus (with 74 cases in 2024 and 12 as of 26 June 2025) has completed the implementation of its NEAP 2024-25 to counter the virus spread.
Teams from the National and Provincial Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) for Polio Eradication led comprehensive presentations for the TAG experts, highlighting the continued efforts, progress, new initiatives, operational gaps, and ongoing challenges in their respective regions.
“Under the Prime Minister’s leadership, the Ministry of Health’s direction and operational oversight of the Polio Programme remains strong with improved coordination among the provinces. We know that maintaining and strengthening our concerted efforts remains essential to fulfil this national mission,” said Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal at the opening session.
Expressing gratitude to the TAG for its continued engagement and support to Pakistan, Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq said that the TAG’s recommendations and guidance have remained critical in the fight against polio and the Polio Programme will continue to translate them into coordinated action.
“Building on the lessons from the implementation of NEAP 2024-25, we will adapt our strategy for the upcoming year in line with these valuable recommendations. Our priority is to optimize and streamline all efforts to strengthen operations, close all immunity gaps, enhance surveillance and community outreach, and reach all missed children,” said Ayesha Raza Farooq. “We will also intensify collaboration with the Expanded Programme on Immunization and other stakeholders to strengthen routine immunization and provide integrated health services to communities where it is most needed.”
High-level participation also included chief secretaries from the provinces, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and representatives of the partners and donors of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), including WHO, Rotary, CDC, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation and Gavi.
After detailed deliberations, main TAG’s recommendations focused on improvement in management, campaign quality, vaccination of mobile and missed children, capacity building of frontline workers, monitoring and evaluation, and surveillance.
BY: The Times Union
