A polio vaccination campaign targeting children under the age of five has been launched in select districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday.

The campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will run in 23 selected districts from today until May 24, during which more than 4.6 million children will be administered polio drops.

According to the National Emergency Operations Centre, over 1.65 lakh frontline workers will go door-to-door to administer the polio vaccine.

Authorities have urged parents to cooperate fully with vaccination teams, as each additional dose strengthens children’s immunity.

Children up to the age of five must receive polio drops during this and all future campaigns.

The campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa covers Peshawar, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan divisions, Abbottabad, Torghar, Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Bajaur, Lower Dir, Mohmand, Mardan, Nowshera, Khyber, Kohat, Hangu, Kurram, and Karak districts.

In Peshawar and Khyber districts, the campaign will run for seven days, while in other districts it will continue for four days.

The Health Department has deployed 22,450 vaccination teams, supported by over 35,000 security personnel, to ensure the safety of polio workers during the campaign.

Authorities said the drive is a critical step toward strengthening children’s immunity against polio and urged all parents to ensure their children receive the vaccine.