A health worker marks a child after giving a dose of polio vaccine in southern Pakistani port city of Karachi on Feb. 4, 2025. The immunization campaign here, which runs from Feb. 3 to Feb. 9, targets millions of children in the country to save their future and health. (Str/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday kicked off a nationwide anti-polio campaign for the year 2025, reaffirming his government's determination to completely eliminate the polio disease from the South Asian country.

The immunization campaign, which will run from Feb. 3 to Feb. 9, would target millions of children in the country to save their future and health, the prime minister said while addressing the launching ceremony.

He said that polio teams would reach the far-flung areas and villages across the country to eradicate the disease, hoping that the teams would successfully meet the huge national responsibility by utilizing their complete energies.

Sharif said a total of 73 polio cases were reported last year in the country, which emerged as a huge challenge, besides posing a setback, adding that this year only one new case had been reported so far.

Expressing his resolve to eradicate polio at all costs, the prime minister said that dedicated teamwork and support from international partners are crucial factors in the fight against the disease. ■

A health worker gives a dose of polio vaccine to a child in southern Pakistani port city of Karachi on Feb. 4, 2025. The immunization campaign, which runs from Feb. 3 to Feb. 9, targets millions of children in the country to save their future and health. (Str/Xinhua)