A nationwide vaccination campaign in Pakistan successfully combined protection against measles, rubella, and polio, demonstrating how integrated public health efforts can reach vulnerable populations more effectively. Supported by the World Health Organization, the campaign in late 2025 delivered measles–rubella vaccines to about 34 million children while also administering oral polio vaccines to more than 19 million children in 88 high-risk districts. The initiative aimed to maximize the reach of immunization services by using the same campaign to protect children against multiple infectious diseases.
The effort mobilized around 140,000 health workers and supervisors who were trained and deployed through collaboration between Pakistan’s Expanded Programme on Immunization and the national polio eradication initiative. Health workers conducted vaccination activities across communities, visiting homes and outreach sites to ensure that children aged six months to 59 months received essential vaccines. The campaign was launched in response to a growing measles threat, with the country reporting over 17,000 measles cases in 2025 by November.
The integrated campaign also strengthened cooperation between routine immunization services and polio eradication teams. Resources and infrastructure used for the measles–rubella campaign helped expand polio vaccination coverage in targeted districts, while the trust developed through years of door-to-door polio campaigns helped communities accept additional vaccines. Social mobilizers and frontline workers played a critical role in engaging families, addressing concerns, and ensuring that eligible children were identified and vaccinated.
Community outreach points became important locations for families to access vaccines, allowing parents to protect their children against serious illnesses. Frontline vaccinators used local knowledge, community relationships, and data-driven planning to reach areas with the greatest risk of outbreaks. Surveillance data helped identify vulnerable districts, enabling health workers to focus efforts where immunization gaps were highest.
The campaign highlights how coordinated immunization strategies can address multiple public health threats simultaneously. Measles remains a highly contagious disease that can be life-threatening for young children, while rubella can cause severe complications for pregnant women and unborn babies. Polio, which has no cure and can lead to lifelong paralysis, continues to be a major focus of global eradication efforts.
Pakistan’s long-running polio eradication programme has reduced cases by more than 99 percent over the past three decades, demonstrating the effectiveness of vaccination. Today, Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries where polio is still endemic, making continued vaccination campaigns critical to achieving a polio-free world. The measles–rubella campaign was supported financially by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance along with contributions from several international partners supporting WHO operations in the country.
