By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - Japan has announced a $4.3 million grant to support Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts, funding the procurement of more than 28 million oral vaccine doses for nationwide immunisation campaigns in 2027.

The grant, announced by the Japanese government, will support Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) as the country intensifies efforts to stop the transmission of the highly infectious disease.

Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus transmission has not been interrupted. Afghanistan is the other.

Pakistan has made progress in reducing infections, with reported cases declining from 74 in 2024 to 31 in 2025. Nine cases have been reported so far in 2026, including four in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where insecurity and restricted access continue to complicate vaccination efforts.

The Pakistani government, in collaboration with international partners, has developed the National Emergency Action Plan 2026–27 under its Roadmap to Zero, aiming to interrupt poliovirus transmission by the end of 2027.

Each nationwide immunisation campaign targets more than 45 million children under the age of five and relies on over 400,000 frontline health workers to deliver vaccines across the country.

"The Government of Japan’s contribution comes at a critical time as Pakistan intensifies its efforts to interrupt poliovirus transmission and end this preventable disease," said Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister's focal person on polio eradication.

She thanked Japan for its continued support, saying every additional vaccine dose would bring the country closer to eliminating the disease.

Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Akamatsu Shuichi said Tokyo had supported Pakistan's polio eradication efforts since 1996, working closely with UNICEF and other international partners.

He said the latest grant, which is larger than Japan's contribution last year, reflected its continued commitment to a polio-free Pakistan.

"Japan fully supports Pakistan's determination to achieve the goal of interrupting poliovirus transmission by the end of 2027," the ambassador said.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also reaffirmed its support for the vaccination programme.

Yusuke Shinozaki, chief representative of JICA's Pakistan office, praised the Pakistani government, frontline health workers, UNICEF and other partners for their efforts to deliver vaccines to children, particularly in difficult and insecure areas.

UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Pernille Ironside said Japan's latest contribution would help sustain high-quality vaccination campaigns and ensure that children across the country receive life-saving vaccines.

"By ensuring every child is reached with the polio vaccine, we can bring Pakistan closer to a polio-free future and leave no child behind," she said.

Japan has been a longstanding supporter of Pakistan's polio eradication programme. Since 1996, it has provided more than $248 million in grants and loans through UNICEF to support vaccination campaigns and efforts to eliminate the disease.

The latest funding comes as Pakistan faces continuing challenges in reaching children in areas affected by insecurity, population movement and limited access to healthcare.

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that can cause permanent paralysis, particularly among young children. Although it has been eliminated in most parts of the world, persistent transmission in Pakistan and Afghanistan remains a major obstacle to global eradication efforts.