Pakistan tables polio eradication bill with mandatory vaccination and jail terms for refusal

Pakistan has tabled sweeping legislation in the National Assembly to make polio vaccination compulsory for children, with financial penalties and possible imprisonment for parents who refuse. The Polio Eradication and Rehabilitation Bill, 2026, introduced by MQM lawmaker Syed Waseem Hussain, ties vaccination compliance to birth certificates, school admissions, and passport issuance. Pakistan remains one of only two countries where wild poliovirus still circulates.

What does Pakistan's new polio vaccination bill actually require?

The bill requires every child under ten to complete full polio vaccination doses under the national immunization schedule. Parents who refuse after three documented vaccination opportunities and formal counselling face fines of Rs50,000 for a first offence and Rs100,000 for repeat violations. Courts can also order vaccination within fifteen days, with up to one month's imprisonment for non-compliance.

How will vaccination be enforced through official documents?

Birth certificates, school admissions, and passports will all be linked to vaccination status. No birth certificate will be issued without proof of the birth dose or a commitment to vaccinate within fifteen days, though provisional registration is granted immediately and cannot be permanently withheld solely for non-vaccination.

Educational institutions must require valid vaccination certificates at admission for children under ten, with provisional enrollment permitted for up to thirty days where certificates are unavailable. Students under eighteen sitting secondary or higher secondary examinations must also produce vaccination records, except where a medical contraindication is documented.

For passport applicants under eighteen, a valid vaccination certificate is mandatory. An undertaking to complete vaccination within thirty days, verified through the National Immunization Management System, is accepted as interim compliance.

What penalties exist for spreading misinformation about the polio vaccine?

The bill empowers the Ministry of National Health Services to run coordinated campaigns across digital, social, and electronic media to counter vaccine misinformation. Anyone who deliberately spreads false information about polio vaccines to obstruct the immunization program faces fines of up to Rs100,000 or imprisonment of up to three months.

How does the bill protect polio frontline workers?

Anyone who threatens, assaults, intimidates, or obstructs a vaccinator during official duties faces up to seven years in prison. Cases resulting in grievous injury or death fall under the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860. The Federal Government is required to provide security for vaccination teams during campaigns and transit in high-risk areas.

A frontline polio workers welfare fund will cover life insurance, compensation for accidental death or permanent disability, medical treatment, injury compensation, and performance-based incentives. Every polio worker will also receive an official identity card as proof of duty status.

What rehabilitation services does the bill provide for polio survivors?

The Federal Government must ensure free, comprehensive rehabilitation services for polio-affected children, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, corrective surgeries, and mobility aids such as calipers, wheelchairs, and prosthetics. District Polio Rehabilitation Centers will provide multidisciplinary care with psychological counselling and community follow-up.

From age sixteen, polio-affected persons will have access to vocational training and skills development through technical institutions, with connections to employment opportunities and disability-based employment schemes.

What surveillance and strategy requirements does the bill introduce?

The legislation establishes a National Polio Registry to centrally track cases, rehabilitation services, demographic data, mobility status, assistive devices, and social protection entitlements. The Ministry must develop a five-year National Polio Eradication Strategy targeting 95 percent immunization coverage, with sensitive surveillance of Acute Flaccid Paralysis cases and rapid outbreak response capacity.

The strategy must be reviewed every two years or following significant epidemiological changes. The Ministry has six months from enactment to finalize the strategy.

Does the bill include any safeguards for children's rights?

Despite enforcement provisions, the bill explicitly protects fundamental rights. No child can be denied education, identity documentation, or freedom of movement solely for non-vaccination. Medical contraindication certificates from registered practitioners, following World Health Organization guidelines, are recognized, and the Ministry can grant exemptions where strict enforcement would cause undue hardship.

What is the current status of polio in Pakistan?

Pakistan remains one of only two countries where wild poliovirus is still endemic, alongside Afghanistan. Cases have fluctuated in recent years, with persistent transmission in parts of Sindh, Balochistan, and former tribal areas driven by immunization gaps, vaccine hesitancy, and inadequate sanitation. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reported only one confirmed case by late April 2026, compared to 31 cases in all of 2025.

The bill currently applies to Islamabad Capital Territory and comes into force upon passage. It still requires committee review and votes in both the National Assembly and Senate before becoming law. All fines collected under the refusal penalties will be directed to the frontline polio workers welfare fund.