In Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), health workers are going above and beyond to combat polio, even in the face of harsh winter conditions. As temperatures plummet to minus six degrees Celsius (21°F), these unsung heroes are trekking through snowy mountains to administer crucial vaccinations to children under five, part of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to eradicate the crippling disease.
The dedicated teams in AJK are working tirelessly despite the challenges posed by freezing weather and dangerous terrain. Manzoor Ahmad, who leads the vaccination efforts in AJK, shared that his team has to navigate through three feet of snow to reach remote areas. Despite these hardships, the health workers are determined to reach their target of vaccinating 750,000 children across the region.
AJK has been polio-free for 24 years, but with a troubling rise in national cases—73 reported in 2024 alone—there’s a renewed urgency to maintain the country’s progress in polio eradication. Nationwide, Pakistan is facing greater challenges than ever, particularly in areas affected by militant violence and misinformation, which has often led to attacks on polio vaccination teams.
In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, a tragic incident occurred on the first day of the nationwide campaign when a police officer guarding a vaccination team was killed in an ambush by militants. This attack is just one of many violent disruptions the vaccination teams have faced, as militants continue to target health workers and their security details.
Despite the risks, social workers like Mehnaz, who has been helping vaccinators since 2018, continue to brave these dangerous conditions. “We risk our lives and leave our families behind to make sure children get vaccinated,” Mehnaz said. Their dedication has been instrumental in reducing polio cases in Pakistan and surrounding regions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently launched the first national polio campaign of 2025, aiming to protect millions of children across Pakistan. During the campaign, approximately 4,000 teams are working around the clock to deliver the polio vaccine door-to-door, with the goal of vaccinating 750,000 children in AJK alone.
Polio remains a significant threat in Pakistan, where the disease is still endemic, and challenges such as political instability, security issues, and public resistance continue to hinder vaccination efforts. However, with the unwavering commitment of health workers in regions like AJK, there’s hope that Pakistan can finally put an end to polio.
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