Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 22 April 2026
UNIC-Islamabad
22 April 2026
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WHO
PRESS RELEASE
Pakistan, WHO have protected 160 million children and 130 million mothers with life-saving vaccines over five decades
Pakistan ranks among the top five countries worldwide for absolute reductions in child deaths thanks to vaccination and has averted 2.6 million child deaths from preventable diseases, in addition to eradicating smallpox, reducing paralytic polio cases by 99.8% and ensuring neonatal tetanus-free areas for 80% of the country’s population.
22 April 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – Over the last five decades, since the founding of Pakistan’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1978, Pakistan has protected over 160 million children and 130 million mothers with life-saving vaccines in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners. Thanks to medical science, Pakistan eradicated smallpox in 1976 and paved the way for the launch of an immunization programme that has ever since averted 2.6 million child deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases, proving that, for every generation, vaccines work and save lives.
Globally, vaccines have saved 154 million lives since 1974, and Pakistan ranks among the top five countries worldwide for absolute reductions in child deaths as a result of vaccination.
Since 1994, powered by the medical science behind vaccines, Pakistan has reduced paralytic polio cases by 99.8% – from an estimated 20,000 cases to 31 in 2025. Pakistan also obtained the WHO certification for the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNTE) in Punjab, Sindh, Pakistan-Administered Kashmir (PAK), Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), and Gilgit-Baltistan, ensuring that approximately 80% of the country’s population now lives in areas where neonatal tetanus no longer poses a public health threat, with less than one case per 1,000 live births.
WHO estimates that Pakistan's EPI averts up to 17% of all childhood mortality, making immunization the most cost-effective single public health intervention available in the country.
This achievement is the result of joint efforts by governments, partners, frontline health workers, communities and parents across the country.
Under the leadership of the Government of Pakistan, and with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, every year, WHO supports the immunization of over 7 million children and 5.5 million women across the country to protect them against 13 vaccine-preventable diseases, in addition to the vaccination of 45 million children against polio through multiple supplementary immunization campaigns. To this end, WHO trains and mobilizes 15,000 routine immunization vaccinators and over 400,000 frontline polio workers – the largest polio vaccination workforce in the world.
Ahead of World Immunization Week (24 April-1 May), WHO Representative in Pakistan, Dr Luo Dapeng, extended WHO’s gratitude to hundreds of thousands of frontline health workers, scientists, authorities and partners who have turned the medical science behind vaccines into action to save lives. “WHO is thankful to all those who have worked and are still working every day to protect millions of children with vaccines. The scientific evidence is clear: vaccines save lives and protect our children from deadly diseases. The science behind WHO-prequalified vaccines is robust, rigorously tested, and unambiguous — and it is this evidence that must guide our decisions, not fear or misinformation.”
“WHO is proud to stand with Pakistan, the Federal Directorate of Immunization and the Polio Eradication Initiative to support more than 15,000 routine vaccinators on the ground, and over 400,000 polio vaccinators, to protect every child and every mother, regardless of social or economic status, no matter where they live or who they are.”
In addition to saving lives, routine immunization and preventive campaigns have prevented tens of millions of episodes of illness, disability and hospitalization over the past 48 years. Every child protected from measles, polio, pneumonia, or diarrheal diseases means fewer families pushed into catastrophic health expenditure, fewer school days lost, and a lighter burden on an already stretched health system. WHO estimates that, for every death averted through vaccination, an average of 66 years of full health are gained. This indicates that, beyond survival, vaccines are offering a better quality of life for millions.
Medical science and the power of WHO-prequalified vaccines, which are safe and effective, have been instrumental in enabling Pakistan to lead one of the most cost-effective transformations to build a healthier future for all.
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For additional information, please contact:
- José Ignacio Martín Galán, Head of Communications, WHO Pakistan: joma...@who.int
- Maryam Yunus, National Professional Officer – Communications, WHO Pakistan: yun...@who.int
About WHO
Founded in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. We work with over 190 Member States across more than 150 locations to ensure everyone, everywhere, can attain the highest level of health. WHO has maintained a permanent presence in Pakistan since its country office was established in 1960.
For more information, visit https://www.emro.who.int/countries/pak/index.html or follow us on our social media:
UNESCO
PRESS RELEASE
UNESCO Convenes Validation Workshop on Pakistan’s Flood Early Warning System Review
Islamabad, 22 April 2026: UNESCO convened a Validation Workshop in Islamabad to review and finalize the findings of the Comprehensive Review of Pakistan’s Flood Early Warning System (FEWS), a nationwide assessment examining the effectiveness, coordination, and responsiveness of flood early warning mechanisms. The workshop, held online, brought together 37 representatives from federal and provincial governments, technical agencies, academia, development partners, and UN organizations engaged in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.
The workshop marks a critical milestone in consolidating evidence gathered through nationwide consultations and technical analysis conducted over the past few months. The review assesses the full early warning chain, from risk knowledge and hazard monitoring to forecasting, warning dissemination, and early action, highlighting both progress and persistent gaps, particularly in last-mile delivery and the translation of forecasts into timely action during recent flood events, including the 2025 monsoon.
Opening the session, Mr. Fuad Pashayev, UNESCO Representative in Pakistan, underscored the importance of collective ownership and practical outcomes, stating:
“This workshop is not simply a presentation of findings; it is an opportunity to ensure that the assessment truly reflects operational realities, institutional priorities, and the diverse experiences of stakeholders across the country. The objective today is
to validate key findings, refine strategic recommendations, and build consensus around actionable and implementable solutions.”
Participants reviewed key findings of the assessment, including challenges related to data integration, inter-agency coordination, localization of warnings, and community engagement. The workshop also focused on refining strategic recommendations and identifying practical, actionable priorities to enhance system performance across all stages of the early warning cycle, risk assessment, monitoring and forecasting, warning dissemination, and preparedness and response.
Discussions emphasized the need for a people-centered, impact-based early warning approach, improved interoperability among institutions, and stronger linkages between scientific forecasting and decision-making processes at national and local levels. Stakeholders also underscored the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge, engaging local leadership, and involving sectoral actors in preparedness and response efforts.
The validation process aims to ensure that the final FEWS assessment is grounded in operational realities, reflects institutional priorities, and is collectively endorsed by key stakeholders. The refined recommendations will contribute to strengthening Pakistan’s capacity for anticipatory action, disaster risk reduction, and climate resilience.
The review is aligned with global frameworks including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the Paris Agreement, and the UN Secretary-General’s Early Warning for All initiative, while directly supporting national efforts to enhance resilience to climate-induced disasters.
UNESCO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Pakistan through evidence-based policy advice, technical expertise, and multi-stakeholder partnerships aimed at building a more effective, inclusive, and resilient flood early warning system.
