Karachi, A pivotal meeting regarding polio eradication was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Sindh, Syed Asif Hyder Shah. This meeting, which was briefed by the Provincial Coordinator for the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Irshad Ali Sodhar, reviewed the ongoing efforts and overall progress of the polio campaign. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the current state of the polio vaccination campaign in the province and to strategize for its success.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi, Additional IG Karachi Javed Alam Odho, all Deputy Commissioners of Karachi Division, District Health Officers, and other key officials.
From August 15 to August 25, the campaign will target 85 union councils of Karachi, aiming to administer oral polio vaccine drops to 1.1 million children under the age of 5 years. Additionally, 1,037,000 children between the ages of four months and 5 years will receive fractional inactivated polio vaccine (f-IPV) injections using the innovative and painless jet injector technology. This campaign specifically targets high-risk areas of Karachi to curb the spread of the virus throughout the city and the province.
Irshad Ali Sodhar, EOC Coordinator, stated: “Our teams are equipped with the latest technology to ensure efficient and pain-free vaccinations. We are committed to transparent reporting and achieving the highest standards in our fight against polio.”
Chief Secretary Sindh assured the full support of the Sindh government for polio eradication and directed all relevant departments to play a proactive role in the success of this campaign. He expressed his commitment to personally oversee the campaign’s progress in the field.
Additional IG Karachi Javed Alam Odho promised full security and protection for the polio teams to ensure they can perform their duties without fear. Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi stated that all his Deputy Commissioners and staff would fully support the polio teams. He pledged to be present in the field with the teams to directly monitor the campaign’s progress.
UNICEF Country Representative Abdullah Fadil praised the leadership and commitment of the Chief Secretary and emphasized the need for accurate data reporting by the teams to address the campaign’s shortcomings. He reaffirmed UNICEF’s unwavering commitment to immunization activities and polio eradication.
This meeting marks a significant step in the fight against polio in Sindh. The efforts of the Sindh government and related institutions will be crucial in making significant progress towards eradicating polio and providing a solid foundation for ending this epidemic.