Children from 5,000 resistant families vaccinated for polio: CM

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday said that children from over 5,000 families that had previously refused polio vaccination had been immunised to ensure that no child is left behind in the fight against the crippling disease.

In his meeting with Rotary Foundation Chairman Mark Maloney, Shah stressed that the provincial government’s commitment to eradicating polio is unwavering. He lamented that despite the government’s hectic efforts, Sindh continues to detect polio cases due to frequent cross-border travel from neighbouring countries.

“We’re confident that our initiatives will yield positive results,” he said, adding that his government had initiated vaccinations for all malnourished children to strengthen their immunity.

He thanked the Rotary Foundation for supporting Pakistan against polio. Maloney said the foundation has established 23 permanent immunisation centres across Pakistan, and is providing support in high-risk union councils in Sindh. “The Rotary Foundation is facilitating social mobilisation and fostering confidence-building among families who have previously refused vaccinations in high-risk areas.”

The CM said that a special campaign in 85 high-risk UCs of Karachi had been initiated, in which a fractional

inactivated polio vaccine was successfully administered, with the complete mobilisation of government officials.

He lauded the active participation of deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners in converting refusal cases and supporting the polio teams in their outreach efforts. He also lauded the role of over 5,000 police officials for ensuring a secure environment for frontline workers during the

campaign.

He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to making both Sindh and Pakistan polio-free. “The chief secretary, divisional commissioners, and over 3,000 people from the revenue department, the administration and elected representatives actively participated in making the polio campaign successful.”