Pakistan gains from global ‘Big Catch-Up’ vaccination drive

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A global vaccination campaign launched in response to pandemic-induced disruptions has reached an estimated 18.3 million children across 36 countries, according to announcements from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF. The “Big Catch-Up” initiative, which concluded in March 2026, administered more than 100 million doses of life-saving vaccines, with Pakistan among the countries that benefited most, according to a statement from the agencies reported by Dawn.

Coverage Comparison

The initiative, launched during World Immunization Week 2023, aimed to address the sharp decline in routine childhood vaccinations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. AllAfrica, Dawn, and RFI reported on the final results, with each outlet emphasizing different aspects. Dawn highlighted Pakistan’s success, noting that the participating countries account for 60% of the world’s zero-dose children. AllAfrica provided a broad overview of the initiative’s achievements and challenges, while RFI focused on the progress toward the 21 million target and the threats posed by funding cuts and misinformation.

Key Claims

• 18.3 million children vaccinated: The initiative reached an estimated 18.3 million children aged 1 to 5 across 36 countries, with over 100 million doses of vaccines administered, as reported by AllAfrica, Dawn, and RFI.
• Zero-dose children reached: Of those, approximately 12.3 million were “zero-dose” children who had never received a vaccine. Additionally, 15 million children who had missed the measles vaccine were reached, according to the agencies’ joint statement.
• Pakistani success: Pakistan is among 12 countries — including Burkina Faso, North Korea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritania, Niger, Somalia, Togo, Tanzania, and Zambia — that reported reaching more than 60% of zero-dose children under five who had missed the first dose of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP1) vaccine, as reported by Dawn.
• On track to meet target: The initiative is projected to meet its goal of catching up 21 million unvaccinated or under-immunized children, according to the agencies, as carried by RFI and others. Final data are still being compiled.
• Polio prevention: The campaign also provided 23 million doses of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) to un- and under-vaccinated children, an essential step toward polio eradication, as mentioned in Gavi’s announcement.

Perspectives

While the agencies celebrated the achievements, they also warned of persistent challenges. Ephrem Lemango, Chief of Immunisation at UNICEF, said that recent sharp funding cuts to global health have “seriously affected delivery of immunisation services” and could “likely reverse hard-earned progress,” as quoted by RFI. The statement also noted that chronic gaps in routine immunization are “plain to see,” with measles outbreaks rising in every region, with around 11 million cases in 2024, driven by gaps in measles vaccination through routine programmes.

Pakistan’s significant progress was particularly notable. Dawn reported that the country immensely benefited from the initiative, which for the first time systematically leveraged routine immunization systems to reach older children aged 1 to 5 who had missed early vaccines. This approach helped narrow immunity gaps and identify older children not on the system, the agencies said.

Despite the success, the agencies emphasized that catch-up vaccination, while important, is not a substitute for robust routine immunization programmes. Expanding the reach of routine immunization remains the most effective and sustainable way to protect children and prevent future outbreaks, according to Gavi’s announcement.