Syed Murad Ali Shah notes that there have been 40 reported human polio cases in Pakistan in 2024, with 12 in Sindh, the second highest number in the country despite previously three years of polio free status
By Abdul Samad
KARACHI: On World Polio Day, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah adjourned the ongoing provincial assembly session for five days to allow members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) to actively participate in the upcoming anti-polio drive. Addressing the World Polio Day event at CM House, Murad Ali Shah emphasized the importance of full MPA involvement in administering polio drops to children under five in their constituencies during the campaign, which will run from October 28 to November 3.
Speaking at the Provincial Task Force on Polio meeting, Sindh CM highlighted that the drive is a continuation of the anti-polio efforts initiated by the late Prime Minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and aims to bring those efforts to a successful conclusion. “This time, there will be zero tolerance for refusal cases, which is why I have decided to engage not just parliamentarians but civil society and religious leaders as well,” he said. He noted that there have been 40 reported polio cases in Pakistan this year, with 12 in Sindh, the second highest number in the country.
The provincial health minister, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, underscored the importance of the upcoming drive, noting that Sindh has come a long way since recording over 20,000 polio cases annually in the 1990s. “We are on the verge of eradicating polio completely,” she said, urging parents to ensure their children to receive the life-saving vaccine. The campaign will target 10.6 million children under five across all 30 districts of Sindh, with 9.5 million also receiving Vitamin A supplements. The government has deployed 80,000 frontline workers for the campaign, which will begin in the Mirpurkhas Division on October 25 and in the remaining districts on October 28.
During the event, Murad Ali Shah, along with provincial ministers and other officials, administered polio drops to children and handed out gifts, marking the province’s commitment to eradicating the disease. As the campaign intensifies, the chief minister urged parents and communities to cooperate fully, emphasizing that every child must be vaccinated to eliminate polio and protect future generations from the debilitating disease.
