The failure of yet another anti-polio campaign in Karachi is not just a setback—it is a damning indictment of the repeated incompetence and mismanagement that have long plagued the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Sindh. The recent drive, which left 290,089 children unvaccinated during the first polio campaign of 2025, is emblematic of a system that is failing its most vulnerable citizens. In a nation where the fight against polio has been waged for decades, these numbers are more than statistics; they are a stark reminder that a lack of proper planning, oversight, and genuine commitment is allowing an easily preventable disease to persist.
Even with the provincial government providing ample financial and logistical support, the EOC Sindh has repeatedly failed to implement a strategy that can ensure comprehensive vaccination coverage. This is not a new problem. In previous campaigns for last one year, just as in this latest effort, a significant number of children have been left unprotected due to a mix of parental refusal and the inability of vaccination teams to reach remote or resistant communities. In this recent drive, 92,628 children did not receive the vaccine because their parents refused it, and an additional 197,461 were left unvaccinated simply because the teams could not access them. These figures paint a picture of a system in disarray—one that is unable to bridge the gaps between policy and practice, between resources on paper and their actual execution on the ground.
The most troubling aspect of this failure is the glaring inability of the EOC Sindh to deal with vaccine hesitancy. For years, misinformation and fear-mongering have undermined public confidence in the polio drops. Instead of launching proactive community engagement initiatives or a structured parental counselling system that could dispel myths and build trust, the authorities have seemingly opted for reactive measures. They wait until after a campaign has faltered before issuing figures and making statements, rather than taking steps to understand and rectify the underlying issues before they spiral out of control. What exacerbates the problem further is the treatment of the polio workers—men and women on the frontlines who are expected to carry out the campaign under perilous conditions. These workers, who often travel long distances on foot in hazardous environments and sometimes security threatened areas, are woefully underpaid and undervalued. Their meager wages hardly compensate for the physical and emotional toll of their work.
It is deeply disturbing that many of these dedicated individuals are forced to pay for their own meals and transport for vaccinate children while daily wages employees are in absolute pathetic condition mostly dependent on higher health officials as being paid by DDM cards or through DHOs. And no surprise, corruption monsters eat up some half or a reasonable amount of their due salary, while any complaint will cost them their jobs and ban in polio program. Such abuse of power and excessive humiliation is inhuman and disgusting but the polio authorities, especially the EOC Sindh has taken a blind eye to them and some superficial activism shown when issue will be raised. This neglect is not merely an administrative oversight; it is a moral failing that compromises the entire operation. If those who are tasked with the vital job of delivering vaccines cannot be properly supported, how can the campaign ever hope to succeed?
As told earlier, the repeated failures of the EOC Sindh cannot be attributed to a lack of resources. The provincial government has, time and again, provided the necessary funding and logistics, yet the EOC has consistently mismanaged these resources. This is not a reflection of inadequate support from the state but rather an internal failure—a lack of foresight, accountability, and the will to innovate. In previous campaigns, there were similar reports of gaps in coverage, misdirected efforts, and an overall inability to adapt strategies to the changing realities on the ground. Each time, the same errors were repeated: failure to address parental concerns, inadequate training and support for frontline workers, and a stubborn reluctance to learn from past mistakes.
Moreover, the challenges faced by the polio campaign extend beyond the immediate issues of vaccine delivery and workforce management. There is a broader public health context that has been largely ignored. This myopic approach not only limits the effectiveness of the campaign but also betrays a lack of long-term vision in public health planning.
The failure of the EOC Sindh is now a question of professional will. Leaders and policymakers must recognise that the stakes are too high for half-hearted interventions though not taken by polio scientist. Every missed vaccination is a child left vulnerable, every unaddressed community a potential hotspot for the virus to thrive. The continued persistence of polio in Pakistan is not only a failure of the health system but also a failure of governance. It is a clear signal that those in charge have allowed complacency and inefficiency to take root at the very heart of the public health mechanism.
There is an urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of the way the polio campaign is managed in Sindh. This requires not only rethinking the operational strategies but also a radical change in the leadership approach or may be the leader. A system that fails to learn from its past and repeatedly falls into the same traps cannot be sustained. It is time for decisive action—action that is informed by previous failures and is determined to forge a new path forward. The EOC must be held accountable for its repeated missteps, and real, meaningful changes must be implemented immediately. The health of the nation’s children depends on it.
The responsibility does not lie solely with the EOC Sindh. The broader political and administrative apparatus must also play its part by ensuring that every facet of the public health strategy is aligned towards a common goal: the eradication of polio. It is imperative as now Saudi Arabia has categorically denied to enter any Pakistani without being vaccinated how shameful it is and how pathetic the EOC Sindh and other polio authorities are to create such a situation.
We, Metro Morning, carrying out a ‘Jehad’ to identify failures, mismanagement, and incompetence of EOC Sindh and other polio authorities and will definitely continue it. Remember, the failure of the recent campaign is a wake-up call—a call to action for everyone involved in the fight against polio. It is a reminder that progress is not inevitable and that complacency can undo years of hard work. The children of Karachi, and indeed of all Pakistan, deserve better than the current state of affairs. They deserve a system that is robust, responsive, and resolute in its commitment to their health and future.
The time for excuses has long passed. The EOC Sindh must confront its shortcomings and take immediate steps to rebuild trust, improve its operational strategies, and genuinely support its frontline workers. Without these changes, the specter of polio will continue to haunt the city, province and the country, a grim reminder of what happens when bureaucratic inertia and mismanagement override the urgent needs of public health. The fate of an entire generation hangs in the balance, and it is incumbent upon the authorities to act now, before more children are left unprotected.
