KARACHI - Polio virus has been confirmed in a one-year-old girl in Badin.
This year 18 polio cases have been reported in Pakistan and seven of them in Sindh so far.
Pakistan remains one of the three polio endemic countries in the world along with Nigeria and Afghanistan.
The polio virus, which leaves a child crippled for life, can only be prevented by timely vaccination. Repeated vaccination drives have failed to achieve the desired results due to a lack of interest of parents in getting their children vaccinated against the paralysing disease.
ANTI-POLIO DRIVE IN
LARKANA FROM TODAY
All arrangements have been finalised for the immunisation campaign in the Larkana district, says District Health Officer Dr Abdul Fateh Bughio.
More than 306,850 children in the district up to five years of age will be vaccinated against polio during the four-day national polio campaign. The campaign will start today and continue until November 26.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Bughio said that children up to five years of age would be administered oral polio vaccine during the campaign. He said that 758 mobile teams had been formed that would visit all remote areas of the district to accomplish the task. He said that three mobile polio teams had been formed for Larkana city.
The district health officer said that 49 transit polio teams had been formed in the district. They will be available at railway stations, bus stations and various markets of the district during the four-day anti-polio campaign.
Bughio exhorted the parents to be cooperative with the visiting polio teams to make the national anti-polio campaign a success. He urged religious scholars, elected representatives, NGOs and community leaders to make this campaign successful.
POLIO AWARENESS WALK HELD
The Larkana District Health Department organised a walk to create awareness about the polio disease here on Tuesday.
The walk was led by Additional Deputy Commissioner-II Amir Ali Mirani and District Health Officer Dr Abdul Fateh Bughio. The walk started from Old DHO Office near Suikarno Memorial Tower and concluded in front of the Larkana Press Club.
The participants were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans against polio. They urged people to have their children vaccinated against the crippling disease.
Speaking on the occasion, Mirani urged the officials of the Health Department, representatives of non-government organisations, social workers, teachers and scouts to come forward and play their role for eradication of polio from the district.
COMMISSIONER MEETS
‘SPECIAL MOBILISER’
Karachi Commissioner Aijaz Ahmed Khan has lauded the services of polio victim Abrar Khan for elimination of polio from a high risk area. He promised that he would request Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to give Abrar a job according to his qualification.
Aijaz held a meeting with Abrar on Tuesday and presented him a special motorbike, says a statement issued here.
Abrar told the commissioner that he was not administered polio vaccination till five years of age. Soon after he fell prey to polio virus, he said, his parents took him to the hospital for vaccination but it was too late to treat. He said the virus attack left both his feet and legs crippled.
“I did not lose the hope and with the support of my parents I got higher education and decided to spread awareness about this crippling disease,” he said.
Abrar has master’s degrees in international relations and business administration. He has worked as a polio worker in high risk polio corridor of Baldia Town UC-5, going door to door and asking defiant parents to get their children vaccinated. He convinced 140 families to get their children vaccinated against polio.
