Japan announces $3.1m grant to support Pakistan’s polio fight

ISLAMABAD: Japan on Wednesday announced $3.1 million grant for the procurement of essential oral polio vaccines as part of its continued support of polio eradication efforts in Pakistan.

Pakistan Polio Programme will use these funds to procure more than 20.22 million doses of vaccines to support polio campaigns in 2025, according to officials. They said Pakistan is one of only two countries globally that has yet to stop polio. In 2024, Pakistan reported a total of 59 cases of polio.

Officials said with the current surge in polio cases in the country, the government of Pakistan, in collaboration with its partners, is set to implement an extensive, aggressive, and strategic action plan in 2025 aimed at eradicating this life-threatening disease among children. Each national immunization drive targets over 45.4 million children under the age of five, with more than 400,000 frontline workers, predominantly women, playing a crucial role in ensuring the Polio Programme’s outreach. “Despite the challenges, Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to eradicating polio by mid-2025,” said the coordinator to the prime minister of National Health Services Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath during a special ceremony here. He said as Pakistan prepared to launch polio campaigns in 2025, together with its development partners, the focus would be on the resolution of the remaining challenges standing in the way of reaching all children.

Dr Bharath said the unwavering support of Japan had been instrumental in helping Pakistan get closer to reaching zero cases. “We are thankful to the government and people of Japan for their continued support towards polio eradication,” he said. Focal person to the prime minister on polio eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq said the challenges faced in 2024 had underscored the critical need to accelerate efforts to eradicate polio. She said with Japan’s continued support, Pakistan had intensified efforts to achieve zero polio cases by mid-2025.

Charge d’ Affaires Ad Interim of Japan Takano Shuichi said his country had supported Pakistan in eradicating polio for nearly 30 years despite hindrances such as floods, Covid, and terrorist attacks. He said as the current year marked the 70th anniversary of Japan’s official development assistance to Pakistan, his country renewed its commitment to continue to promote routine immunisation including polio vaccination in Pakistan. “The new funding is part of the continuous support from the government of Japan to the Polio Eradication programme since 1996. To date, the grant and loan contribution from the government of Japan has amounted to $242.194 million to support the polio programme in Pakistan through UNICEF,” he said.

Shuichi appreciated Pakistan’s commitment to making all-out efforts to ensure all children receive the essential vaccine. Chief representative of JICA Pakistan Office Miyata Naoaki said vaccines, the most effective way to strengthen children’s immunity, would be used effectively with the understanding of parents and communities and the efforts of frontline workers. “We sincerely hope that all the polio campaigns of this year will be conducted successfully towards zero polio cases,” he said.

UNICEF representative in Pakistan Abdullah Fadil said the sharp rise in polio cases this year was a reminder of the urgent need to protect every child with vaccines through campaigns and routine immunisation. “With steadfast support from partners like Japan, UNICEF remains fully committed to making Pakistan polio-free, ensuring no child is left behind.”