KARACHI - Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah inaugurated a new polio eradication campaign across the province, running from December 16 to December 22, 2024, by immunising children in a classroom at NJV School and encouraged the polio vaccination teams to treat their work as a classroom activity.
The event was attended by Secretary of Health Rehan Baloch, Commissioner of Karachi Hassan Naqvi, Additional IG Karachi Javed Alam Odho, Coordinator of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Irshad Sodhar, and school administrators.
This vaccination campaign aims to protect 10.6 million children under the age of five from the poliovirus and is the final campaign of 2024. CM Shah reported that over 80,000 frontline workers are participating, going door-to-door to ensure that no child is overlooked. “I have deployed 15,000 security personnel across Sindh to create a safe environment for this effort,” he stated. CM Shah highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that 63 children in Pakistan have contracted polio this year, including 17 from Sindh. “The situation remains critical, with most environmental samples testing positive for the virus, indicating ongoing transmission,” he explained. He pointed out that Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries in the world where the poliovirus is still endemic. “This campaign is essential for halting the virus’s spread and protecting children from its devastating effects,” he said, emphasising that since this was the last campaign of the year, every child must be vaccinated to prevent the virus’s transmission and avoid long-term disability. Irshad Sodhar, the Provincial Coordinator of the EOC, added that for those who miss vaccination during the campaign, help and information can be obtained through the Emergency Operations Centre’s Sehat Tahaffuz Helpline at 1166 or WhatsApp Helpline 0346-7776546. The Department of Health urged media, community leaders, and religious scholars to raise awareness about the importance of vaccination and support this vital campaign to ensure a polio-free future for Sindh, Pakistan, and beyond. During the event, Secretary of Health Rehan Baloch, Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi, Additional IG Karachi Javed Alam Odho, and others administered polio drops to children.