KARACHI: Children at the recently created Gulshan Akakhel in Gadap received polio drops on Monday, marking the beginning of the week-long anti-polio campaign in Sindh, according to Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.
During the function, the chief minister implored parents to give their kids oral polio vaccinations in order to shield them from the deadly infection.
“Together, as a community, let us forge a path towards a polio-free environment, securing a healthier future for our children,” he said.
Attendees at the occasion included Rotary International National Chair Aziz Memon, WHO representative Dr. Asif Zardari, Provincial Coordinator Irshad Sodhar, Secretary Health Rehan Baloch, and Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho.
The province-wide anti-polio campaign intends to immunize about 8 million youngsters under the age of five against the illness.
It is said that more than 62,000 front-line staff members would be assigned across the province to guarantee that every child who qualifies gets this potentially life-saving vaccination.
In the meanwhile, the vaccination camps will be manned by over 4,000 security guards.
The CM acknowledged the front-line role that health workers and vaccinators play in the fight against this crippling illness and asked all schools, hospitals, and caregivers to welcome them.
Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, the Sindh Health Minister, spoke at the event and emphasized the importance of the campaign in stopping the worrying trend of positive environmental samples in Sindh and throughout Pakistan, which is endangering children’s health.
Eleven positive environmental samples from different locations in Sindh have been found in recent reports, underscoring the pressing need for this immunization campaign.
“Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the two remaining endemic countries, making it critical to interrupt virus transmission in this epidemiological block to eradicate polio” , added the minister.
Efforts are being made to guarantee that every child is vaccinated, despite persisting security challenges and persistent virus clusters.
CM Murad echoed the support of medical professionals and religious scholars who support the safety and effectiveness of the oral polio vaccine by urging journalists and community leaders to mobilize support for the ongoing anti-polio campaign, acknowledging the critical role that the media plays in disseminating critical information.
