By our correspondent
KARACHI: In a welcome development for public health officials, the number of parents in Karachi refusing to vaccinate their children against polio has declined significantly, according to new data from the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC). The findings reflect a stronger performance in the April immunization campaign, which successfully reached over 94 percent of its target areas across the city.
Officials attribute the improvement to enhanced community engagement and sustained awareness efforts led by frontline health workers, supported by local administration and civil society partners. While resistance to the vaccine has historically posed a barrier to eradication efforts, the recent campaign appears to have made inroads in building trust, especially in areas previously marked by high refusal rates.
Health department insiders report that parental refusals remain a challenge, with over 39,000 children across Sindh—including Karachi—still missing their polio drops due to vaccine hesitancy or outright refusal. Nonetheless, the overall reach of the campaign marks a major stride forward. More than 2.06 million children were administered polio drops in Karachi alone, while the total number vaccinated across Sindh surpassed 8.8 million.
This progress arrives at a crucial moment, as Pakistan continues to battle sporadic polio cases, particularly in urban centers where population density and mobility complicate immunization coverage. Health authorities are now preparing for the third nationwide polio campaign of the year, scheduled to run from 26 May to 1 June. The upcoming drive will focus on tracking and vaccinating children who were missed in previous rounds, with special efforts to revisit high-risk pockets.
