Sources reveal that particular areas of Karachi are specifically prepared for visits of observers like Wednesday’s visit of PM’s Focal Person, where everything is shown perfect
By Abdul Samad
KARACHI: In a bid to intensify Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts, Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio, alongside National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) Coordinator Anwarul Haq, recently conducted a critical visit to Karachi amid October’s National Immunization Days (NIDs). The visit comes as Sindh struggles with persistent human polio cases, particularly in Karachi, raising concerns over the region’s performance in achieving polio eradication goals.
During her visit to Karachi’s Gujro area in District East, Ayesha Farooq engaged directly with local health workers and field staff, including teams stationed at the KBT transit vaccination point. Her inspection was a ground-level appraisal of the operational capacity and readiness of polio staff, underscoring the need for more rigorous surveillance and supervision. While sources revealed that the said area of Gujro is particularly made for visits of observers like PM’s Focal Person, where everything is shown perfect. The experts on anonymity said visitors should decide themselves where to visit because Sindh polio program authorities deliberately given managed areas just to show ‘All is Well.’
Despite these endeavors, sources revealed a troubling persistence of virus circulation in Sindh, especially within Karachi. Reports suggest that another polio case has emerged in Manghopir area of Karachi, where a child reportedly suffers from acute paralysis—an alarming reminder of gaps in eradication efforts. However, delays in sending the case sample to Islamabad for further confirmation raise concerns, with some speculating that the postponement may be intended to avoid interrupting the NIDs process.
This situation underscores the urgent need for Sindh’s polio eradication mechanisms to respond swiftly and effectively to the latest challenges, as the province’s continued vulnerability to polio poses a serious threat to the country’s broader immunization campaign.
Ayesha Raza Farooq further met with Sindh’s Health Minister, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, and Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah to review current strategies and assess the province’s ongoing response to polio outbreaks. The provincial Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) also provided her with a debriefing on Sindh’s recent past and present campaigns performances and on communication strategies implemented to enhance awareness.
Acknowledging the government’s efforts, PM’s Focal Person emphasized the need for heightened support and guidance for field teams, calling for bolstered supervision to tackle operational weaknesses effectively. She noted the significance of comprehensive, integrated efforts across government and partners levels to strengthen Sindh’s stance against the virus. Meanwhile, experts suggested Ayesha Raza to avoid become part of the game if she wants to make Pakistan, especially Sindh a polio free region then take some concrete measures to implement government policies.
