The new polio cases reported this year include three from Karachi, two from Hyderabad, and one each from Sujawal, and Shikarpur
Karachi, Sindh
The Health Officials of Sindh have reported detection of seven more cases of polio in different districts of the province.
Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, presiding over a provincial meeting to review polio eradication efforts, expressed concern over the detection of seven cases.
The meeting held at the CM House on Friday October 4, 2024, was attended by provincial health minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi, Additional IG Police Imran Yakoob, provincial secretaries, and others. The divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners attended the meeting through video link.
Irshad Ali Sodhar, Provincial Coordinator of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) gave a detailed briefing to the CM on the current polio situation and the performance of the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) program.
It was pointed out that Sindh has reported seven polio cases this year, including three from Karachi, two from Hyderabad, and one each from Sujawal, and Shikarpur. CM emphasized the urgent need for coordinated actions to reach every child and eliminate the threat of polio.
Murad Shah directed the Minister of Health Dr. Azra and the Minister of Local Government Saeed Ghani to improve immunization by involving elected representatives to avoid refusal.
Secretary of Health Rehan Baloch, Secretary Local Government Khalid Hyder Shah, and commissioners from various divisions shared their insights on the challenges encountered in their respective divisions and the measures being taken to ensure complete immunization coverage.
Minister Health Dr. Azra highlighted the progress made during recent campaigns, including the fractional Inactivated Polio Vaccine (f-IPV) campaign in August and the Sub-National Immunization Days (SNID) campaign in September, which successfully vaccinated over 9.4 million children across the province.
Additional IG Police Imran Yakoob (on behalf of IG Police) assured the meeting of the police’s unwavering commitment to the safety of frontline workers, recognizing their critical role in reaching every child, even in challenging environments. (PR)
Read: Prevalence of polio virus in Hyderabad division at a dangerous level
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