CM inaugurates special anti-polio drive

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday stressed the need for collective efforts to achieve permanent freedom from polio and urged the parents to vaccinate their children as he inaugurated a 10-day special polio vaccination drive in Karachi.

“We gained independence in 1947, but we are still not free from the crippling disease of polio, which continues to paralyse dozens of our children every year. We need collective efforts, dedication and hard work to achieve permanent and long-lasting freedom from polio,” he stated while inaugurating the special polio drive by administering vaccine drops at the Khalid Jameel Dispensary in Garden East.

During this campaign, around 1,037,000 children between four months and five years old will receive fractional inactivated polio vaccine (f-IPV) injections. "We are introducing innovative, painless jet injectors to administer the polio vaccine to children in high-risk areas of Karachi, where the polio virus still circulates," the CM explained while addressing the media after the ceremony.

Accompanied by Sindh ministers Dr Azra Pechuho, Syed Nasir Shah, Sharjeel Memon and Zulfiqar Shah, Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah, Karachi Commissioner Syed Hasan Naqvi, and provincial coordinator for the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Irshad Sodhar, Murad stated that during the polio campaign in 85 union committees of Karachi, over 1.1 million children under five years would also receive oral polio vaccine drops.

“We are administering both the Oral Polio Vaccine and fractional Inactivated Polio Vaccine to 1,037,000 children aged four months to five years, as this combination provides long-lasting immunity against the Wild Poliovirus 1,” he added.

He highlighted that innovative and painless jet injector technology was being utilised to target high-risk areas in Karachi where the polio virus still circulated. The mission aimed at stopping the spread of the virus in the city and prevent its transmission to other parts of the province, he stated.

Discussing the current polio situation in Pakistan, the CM noted that 14 new polio cases had been reported from the country so far this year, including two from Sindh.

Reflecting on progress and challenges, he acknowledged the significant reduction in polio cases over the years due to the efforts of healthcare workers, volunteers, and community support. However, he stressed that the virus still existed and continued vigilance was needed to eradicate the disease.

“Success depends on the participation and cooperation of everyone: parents, guardians, and community leaders,” Murad remarked.

On the occasion of Independence Day, the CM remarked that along with August 14, his government was also celebrating its commitment to providing a polio-free future as they celebrated the nation’s independence. “Let us pledge ourselves to protect children from polio and ensure no child is left behind.”

In this speech, Sodhar emphasised the critical importance of the ongoing vaccination drive. “This campaign is not just a routine effort but a decisive step towards eradicating polio from our province. By vaccinating over one million children with both oral and inactivated polio vaccines, we are significantly boosting their immunity against the virus.”