Until recently, Pakistan had been one of the last countries with a high prevalence of soil transmitted helminth infections but without a deworming programme among school age children. Evidence Action, an international non-profit organisation, and its local partners launched Pakistan’s first nationwide survey of soil transmitted helminth prevalence in 2016, which found a need for annual deworming in 17 million school age children and identified 45 at-risk districts in which to focus programming. The survey results combined with a compelling cost-benefit impact of deworming on health, education, and economic outcomes for an estimated average cost of less than $0.50 (£0.40; €0.48) per child per treatment provided the basis for a strong advocacy.