Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced a week-long National Immunization Campaign to combat polio, beginning Monday, April 29, across 25 districts in the province. The campaign aims to eradicate polio and prevent further outbreaks of the disease by vaccinating children under five years of age with the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).
According to Chief Minister Sindh, CM Syed Murad Ali Shah emphasized the importance of eradicating polio as a collective responsibility during a meeting of the Provincial Task Force for Eradication of Polio at CM House. He urged district administration, local bodies, civil society members, and government partners to work together to achieve this goal. The meeting was attended by key officials, including Minister Health Dr. Azra Pechuho, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, and IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon.
The CM stated that polio has been eradicated from most regions except for Afghanistan and Pakistan, both of which have recorded two cases each. Due to frequent population movements between provinces and with Afghanistan, the country continues to face challenges in eradicating polio.
Environmental samples revealed that 43 areas across 11 districts, including Karachi East, Hyderabad, and Sukkur, have shown signs of polioviruses. CM Shah instructed the district administration, local bodies, and solid waste management teams to ensure cleanliness in these areas, proper wastewater disposal, and access to clean drinking water. He added that the health department would collaborate with local bodies and the district administration to mitigate the poliovirus’s impact.
During a previous National Immunization Campaign in February 2024, 38,743 cases of refusal were reported. The CM stated that no parent would be allowed to refuse polio drops for their children and directed the district administration to take strict action against those who refuse. He also praised the efforts of polio workers who reached door-to-door to administer vaccines.
Dr. Azra Pechuho informed the CM that more than 9.04 million children under five received polio vaccines at transit points between January 2023 and March 2024. The new campaign will involve over 600,000 frontline workers across 201 union councils. The CM directed the IG Police to provide 3,833 policemen for security during the immunization drive, with similar security measures in rural areas.
CM Shah expressed his commitment to making the campaign successful and ensuring that all children under five receive polio vaccinations to eradicate the disease in Sindh.