Anti-polio drive launched in Karachi

KARACHI: The Emergency Operation Center for Polio in Sindh will conduct the next polio campaign from 17^th-23^rd June 2019 in Karachi and from 17^th-20^th June in other districts of the province.

The EOC for Polio in Sindh is conducting a week-long anti-polio campaign in the city from 17^th June and 17^th-20^th June in Badin, Thatta, Sajawal, Dadu, Jamshoro, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Naushero Feroze, Sukkur, Khairpur, Ghotki, Larkana, Kambar, Jaccobabad, Shukarpur, and Kashmore.

The campaign is being conducted in 26 districts of Sindh including six districts of Karachi. The target population for this campaign is 5,449,788 under-five children out of which approximately 2.4 million children will be vaccinated in the city of Karachi.

“This is a critical campaign to address positive environment samples and to save children from polio. Parents must not fall prey to false propaganda and must vaccinate their children to save them from a life of disability,” said Umar Farooq Bullo, Coordinator EOC Sindh.

So far in 2019, Pakistan has reported 23 cases of polio out of which 17 have been reported from KP, three from Punjab, and three from Sindh. Out of the 3 cases from, two have been reported from Karachi.

“We have been coming up with different strategies in order to save children from this deadly virus, and we will not rest until this virus is completely eliminated from the country. We have made huge improvements from 2014, but 2019 has been a difficult year across the country, and we must rise to the challenge. Parents also must not refuse the polio vaccine as they put their children in danger by doing so,” said Coordinator EOC Sindh, Umar Farooq Bullo.

“The district and divisional administrations along with partners and front line workers have worked tirelessly in the province, but more work needs to be done to ensure we reach zero polio cases. This is our goal, and we will continue our efforts till it is achieved,” he added.

The EOC strongly encourages parents to visit their nearest health centres and ensure that their children have their routine immunization courses complete as it is imperative for their healthy futures.

The Sindh Government has also been improving the health infrastructure for routine immunization and mother and child health in the province with the opening of new EPI centres and mother and child health centres.

This practice will continue in order to address the health needs of mothers and children so we may ensure a healthy future for our citizens.