In the wake of consistent and targeted quality improvement initiatives aimed at containing the spread of the crippling poliovirus in the region, particularly through enhanced coverage of mobile and high-risk populations, the number of missed children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has declined by around 1.2 percent, dropping from 81,206 to 74,815.
Declining Trend in Missed Children
Health experts associated with the polio eradication programme said the declining trend in missed children was recorded during the last four Nationwide Immunization Drives (NIDs) conducted across the country in October 2025, December 2025, February 2026, and April 2026. According to official data, the number of missed children stood at 85,135 during the December 2025 NID, which declined to 81,206 in February and further dropped to 74,815 in April 2026.
Focused Interventions and Strategies
Talking to APP, polio eradication officials said the improvement in coverage of missed children was achieved through a series of focused interventions, including the launch of the “Peshawar Intensification Plan,” under which staff from the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) KP were deployed in high-risk union councils. The strategy also focused on vaccinating mobile populations through the establishment of transit vaccination points at Kohat Tunnel, allowing immunization of children traveling between Peshawar and the southern districts of the province.
According to officials, around 83,290 children had been vaccinated at the Kohat Tunnel transit point till May 7, 2026, by 10 vaccination teams and three supervisors. Similarly, another transit point established at Khushal Garh Bridge vaccinated 49,708 children during the last five months.
Role of WHO and Improved Monitoring
An official of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Peshawar had long served as a reservoir for poliovirus transmission to different parts of the province due to frequent and large-scale movement of people from their native areas to the provincial capital. The official, requesting anonymity, observed that results achieved under the Peshawar Intensification Plan demonstrated that consistent and targeted quality improvement measures could help interrupt poliovirus transmission in high-risk urban settings as well as endemic districts of the province.
He said improved micro-planning, real-time monitoring of field teams, and enhanced accountability mechanisms had also contributed significantly to reducing the number of missed children during the recent campaigns. Special emphasis was laid on revisiting households where children were unavailable during the first visit of vaccination teams.
Coordination and Awareness Campaigns
Officials said coordination among district administrations, health departments, law enforcement agencies, and international partners had strengthened the implementation of immunization drives in sensitive and hard-to-reach areas. Awareness campaigns through mosques, schools, and community elders were also intensified to counter misconceptions regarding the polio vaccine.
Refusal Ratio and Fake Finger Marking
The refusal ratio also showed fluctuations, declining from 18,343 cases in December 2025 to 17,385 in February 2026. However, the number of refusals surged again to 19,541 in April 2026, prompting health authorities to intensify follow-up efforts and increase deployment of Social and Behavioural Change staff to curb the trend. The official attributed the increase in refusal cases to the stricter stance adopted by the Polio Eradication Programme against fake finger marking. He said reports had surfaced regarding fake finger marking in cases where parents refused to vaccinate their children.
“Community Social Workers (CSWs) have now been directed to ensure proper finger marking, and strict action will be taken in cases of fake marking,” he maintained. He added that vaccination teams were persistently following up refusal cases through repeated visits and engagement of influential community members, including religious scholars, teachers, and politicians, in an effort to convince parents to vaccinate their children.
