Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured that with the support of security personnel, especially in areas with security concerns, the campaign would yield effective results
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated a significant nationwide polio campaign on September 9, emphasizing the federal government’s commitment to working with provincial authorities to eliminate polio in Pakistan. During the launch event, the Prime Minister administered polio drops to children, marking the official start of the campaign aimed at eradicating the disease.
In his address, Prime Minister Sharif expressed optimism about the campaign’s success, stating, “We have started the polio campaign here today, and I believe it is under the supervision of a highly capable team. I sincerely hope that the federal government, in collaboration with the provinces, will remove the polio stain from Pakistan’s forehead.” He assured that with the support of security personnel, especially in areas with security concerns, the campaign would yield effective results and aim to completely eliminate polio from Pakistan’s borders.
The nationwide campaign, which will run from September 9 to September 13, targets 115 districts with the goal of vaccinating 33 million children under the age of five. Ayesha Raza Farooq, the Prime Minister’s focal point for polio eradication, highlighted that the campaign would involve door-to-door vaccinations in these districts, including 36 districts in Balochistan where 12 polio cases have been reported this year. This campaign comes in response to recent developments concerning polio in Pakistan.
The National Institute of Health reported a new polio case in Islamabad, marking the first since 2008. The affected child, an 8-year-old, was diagnosed with the virus in Union Council Rural 4 near Sangjani Toll Plaza. In Sindh, the situation has worsened with the diagnosis of a 29-month-old girl in Hyderabad, bringing the total number of polio cases in the province to three this year. This increase underscores the challenges faced in maintaining effective surveillance and vaccination coverage.
The Emergency Operation Center for Polio in Sindh has organized an interactive orientation session in Karachi and plans to launch an emergency vaccination campaign, particularly targeting high-risk union councils. The recent detection of the virus in the Gulshan Ravi Disposal Station, as reported by Punjab’s anti-polio program, highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive response.
This includes the introduction of advanced vaccination methods such as fractional doses of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) and addressing parental resistance through education and community engagement. The collaboration between Pakistan and Afghanistan for synchronized polio campaigns in the coming months is seen as a crucial step in combating the virus.
