Special polio vaccination drive in high-risk UCs of Karachi to start tomorrow

The Sindh health department in collaboration with its partners is launching a targeted polio vaccination campaign whose first phase in 27 high-risk union committees of Karachi will start on February 22, to strengthen children's immunity and curb the transmission of the poliovirus.

This first phase of the campaign aims to vaccinate 562,163 children under the age of five with oral polio vaccine (OPV) and administer fractional inactivated polio vaccine (fIPV) to 521,953 children aged between four months and five years using painless jet injector technology.

Frequent arrival of people from other areas of the country in Karachi contributes to the persistent presence of poliovirus in environmental samples. Despite repeated vaccination efforts, transmission risks remain high, making targeted campaigns essential to closing immunity gaps and protecting children from lifelong paralysis.

The use of painless jet injector technology for fIPV administration ensures a needle-free, stress-free experience for children. The combination of OPV and fIPV further strengthens immunity, offering additional protection in areas where the virus continues to circulate. In August 2024, an f-IPV campaign was successfully conducted in Karachi.

Speaking about the urgency of this campaign, Irshad Ali Sodhar, provincial coordinator of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Sindh, stated: "Karachi remains one of the most critical areas for polio eradication due to continuous virus detection in environmental samples. This campaign is a crucial step in boosting children’s immunity and ensuring no child is left vulnerable. We urge all parents to cooperate with vaccinators and ensure their children receive both OPV and fIPV doses. Every vaccination brings us closer to a polio-free future."