A goal has been set to administer polio drops to 10.6 million children across the province.
KARACHI:
The last anti-polio campaign of the year in Sindh will begin today (Monday). During the seven-day campaign, more than 10 million children across the province will receive anti-polio drops.
According to Sindh’s Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), the last anti-polio campaign of the year will begin today and continue until December 21. During the seven-day campaign, the target has been set to administer polio drops to 10.6 million children across the province.
EPI Sindh claimed that wild poliovirus type 2 was eradicated in 2015 and type 3 in 2019; However, wild poliovirus type 1 is still present and remains the most common and dangerous strain.
According to the Sindh Health Department, 23 cases of polio were reported in Sindh in 2024, while nine cases have been reported so far this year. These cases were reported from Badin, Larkana, Qambar, Thatta, Umerkot and Hyderabad districts.
Additionally, the presence of poliovirus has been confirmed in 233 environmental samples in Sindh. EPI Sindh said foolproof security measures have been taken during the campaign and more than 80,000 security personnel will be deployed.
Karachi administration finalizes arrangements
The Karachi administration has finalized arrangements for the polio eradication campaign, which will begin on Monday, December 21. During the campaign, more than 2.1 million children will receive anti-polio drops and 26,000 anti-polio workers will perform their duties. Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi said the city administration along with COE, Health Department, UNICEF and other international organizations have planned the campaign to ensure effective implementation and meet the set targets. It was decided that all institutions will make coordinated efforts to achieve the goal.
