Rawalpindi, Pakistan, January 29, 2026 – A deepening economic crisis is forcing Pakistan’s Health Department to drastically scale back its upcoming anti-polio campaign, raising fears about a potential resurgence of the crippling disease. The campaign, initially planned for seven days, will now run for just four, starting February 2 and ending February 5, according to reports.
Polio Fight hampered by Funding Cuts
A severe financial crunch is jeopardizing Pakistan’s progress toward polio eradication, impacting both the duration of vaccination drives and the compensation for frontline workers.
- The anti-polio campaign in Rawalpindi district has been shortened from seven to four days.
- Remuneration for polio workers, area in-charges, and medical officers has been considerably reduced.
- Concerns are growing that the cuts will severely impact the effectiveness of the vaccination drive.
- Recent sewage sampling indicates a resurgence of the polio virus in Rawalpindi.
Q: How are Pakistan’s economic woes impacting public health initiatives?
A: A serious economic and financial crisis has led to cuts in funding for essential health programs, including the anti-polio campaign-forcing the Health Department to reduce the campaign’s length and worker compensation.
The cuts aren’t limited to the campaign’s duration. Polio workers are facing significant reductions in pay.A lump-sum payment of Rs 13,000 per campaign has been slashed to Rs 7,000. Area in-charges will now recieve Rs 9,216,down from Rs 19,000,while union council medical officers will see their pay reduced from Rs 25,000 to Rs 16,000. Further cuts are anticipated,fueling unrest among those on the front lines of the fight against polio.
The decision to reduce pay has been met with strong opposition.Female polio workers have described the cuts as unfair, arguing that the government shoudl prioritize reducing its own spending rather than diminishing the wages of low-paid daily workers.
Ironically, the cuts come after the district governance prematurely declared rawalpindi polio-free last year. Recent testing, though, revealed a significant presence of the polio virus in the city’s sewage system. Consequently, authorities have decided to continue polio campaigns throughout 2026, holding drives every other month and focusing on families who refuse vaccinations. Records show a surge in refusal cases, even in affluent areas like Khayaban-e-Sir Syed and Satellite Town.
Authorities have decided to continue these reductions in phases, citing a lack of funds as the primary driver. Polio workers have strongly rejected the decision and demanded its reversal, warning of intense protests if their demands are not accepted.
