Despite harsh weather conditions, more than 400,000 frontline workers will reach 45.5 million children to vaccinate against polio.
A health worker administers polio drops to a child during the launch of the city-wide vaccination campaign, marking another crucial step in the fight to protect future generations from the crippling disease. PHOTO FILE: JALAL QURESHI/EXPRESS
KARACHI:
The last national polio eradication campaign of the year will begin on Monday, with the goal of vaccinating about 45.5 million children nationwide.
The campaign was highlighted at an awareness event held at the Pakistan Arts Council Karachi, where the Mayor of Karachi, lawyer Murtaza Wahab, union council chairmen, health partners and community leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening local government support for polio eradication.
Addressing the gathering, Mayor Wahab stressed that the government alone cannot eliminate polio without public cooperation. “You need two hands to clap. The state needs your support,” he said, urging parents to ensure that their children receive polio drops every time vaccination teams visit their homes.
He noted that Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries in the world where polio has not yet been eradicated, while several Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Nigeria, have successfully eliminated the disease. “This shows that polio can be defeated through collective efforts,” he added.
Despite the harsh weather conditions, more than 400,000 frontline polio workers will participate in the campaign, going door-to-door across the country to administer the vaccine. Health officials have described the campaign as a critical opportunity to protect children from permanent disability caused by the virus.
The mayor emphasized the role of women, religious leaders and community elders in dispelling misconceptions about the vaccine, and said mothers and sisters can play a key role in convincing families to vaccinate their children. He also praised female healthcare workers for their dedication, especially during emergencies.
Wahab called Karachi the most educated city in the country and said it was important to counter negative perceptions around polio vaccination.
In civic matters, the mayor said, each union council president currently receives 1.3 million rupees in monthly funds, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability in the use of public money. He also urged citizens to report the theft or loss of manhole covers by calling 1334.
The event was attended by representatives of multiple political parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party, JUI-F and PTI, reflecting a rare show of political consensus on the need to protect children and eliminate polio from Pakistan once and for all.
