Islamabad, March 14, 2026 – The Europe Today/GNP: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) have announced the successful completion of a joint initiative that helped vaccinate 2.8 million children against polio while strengthening routine immunization and health systems across Pakistan.
The initiative aimed to enhance routine immunization coverage and prevent polio outbreaks among children under the age of five. As part of the effort, millions of children were vaccinated during two nationwide polio campaigns conducted in 2024.
“Children in Pakistan continue to face significant health risks due to gaps in immunization, especially in underserved and hard-to-reach areas,” said Pernille Ironside, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan. “This initiative marks a significant step forward in improving the health and well-being of children in Pakistan. With the support of KSrelief, we have expanded access to life-saving vaccines, strengthened immunization systems, and ensured that even the most vulnerable children are protected.”
In addition to vaccination efforts, UNICEF improved health infrastructure by solarizing five health facilities in Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan, helping ensure reliable cold-chain systems for vaccine storage and enhancing health service delivery in areas facing electricity shortages.
The partnership also strengthened immunization systems by training more than 200 health workers across Islamabad, Balochistan, and Sindh at eight 24/7 birth-dose sites supported by KSrelief. These efforts improved timely vaccination for newborns, enhanced follow-up care, and helped reduce the number of zero-dose and defaulter children, lowering the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
As a result of the initiative, 90 percent of targeted newborns at the eight KSrelief-supported birth-dose sites were vaccinated against tuberculosis, hepatitis B, and polio, ensuring immediate protection at birth and continued immunization support.
UNICEF said that with the continued support of partners such as KSrelief, the organization remains committed to protecting children in Pakistan from preventable diseases and strengthening national immunization systems to safeguard their health from the earliest stages of life.
