KARACHI: Experts seek final push in polio eradication drive
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 22: Speakers at a press briefing on Tuesday stressed the need for liaison with media groups and religious leaders to remove misconceptions regarding polio and other vaccines.
The press briefing titled, “Final push to achieve polio eradication in Sindh” was arranged by the Expanded Programme of Immunisation, Sindh, in collaboration with Unicef, Sindh chapter, the Pakistan Paediatric Association and the World Health Organization at the launch of sub-national immunisation days against polio virus. The campaign will be completed in two phases.
The doctors said at a point when Sindh was close to polio eradication there should be no slackness on any part in polio reduction efforts. “We should move for a strong advocacy, enhanced social mobilisation activities and strategy to meet the challenge of considerable rate of refusals to polio vaccines, particularly in the urban areas,” they said.
Prof (Dr) Iqbal A Memon, Sindh Polio Eradication Initiative’s experts review committee chairman, said the coverage of routine vaccines, which used to be around 90 per cent in 1990 was ranging from 30 to 60 per cent today, which should be a source of concern as without any increase in routine vaccination the target of a polio-free country could not be achieved.
After years long efforts for expanded polio immunisation, it was expected that Sindh was going to be free of polio virus soon, but at the same time it should be kept in mind that the three polio cases reported this year were being considered as the result of migration from other provinces, he added. In such a situation, he said, only the increased rate of routine vaccinations in children could increase their immunity against preventable diseases.
Dr Memon said vaccination was an effective and safe method to protect children against polio and as such it was the moral, religious and parental duty of citizens to get their children vaccinated.
The vaccines against polio and all other diseases are of the highest standard and quality, purchased through international agencies and technically confirmed by the WHO, he said. At no stage during the last over 25 years of their use in the country, the vaccines was found contaminated or affecting adversely our children, he said.
Prof (Dr) D.S. Akram said media could play a vital role in removing doubts regarding polio vaccination by publishing and broadcasting interviews with parents of vaccinated children as well as religious leaders for advocacy to increase vaccination coverage.
Dr Asif Aslam said the goal of a polio-free Sindh could be achieved by ensuring that every child under five years got two drops of polio vaccines every time. He refereed to the success rate against polio in the province, but warned that there was a need to work harder in high risk areas, particularly in the next few months.
Special Secretary (Public Health), Sindh, Capt (Dr) Abdul Majid said though Sindh had reached very close to its polio eradication targets stakeholders were required to ensure that no child was left without administration of polio vaccine.
Based on his experience and observations related to immunisation days campaigns, he said he could say that population in the interior of Sindh was livelier towards vaccination of their children in comparison to those in urban cities.
Sindh EPI Project Director Dr Salma Kauser said no polio case had been reported since January 12, 2007.
This year, one case each was reported from Jacobabad, Karachi and Khairpur, two of those had their origins in Kandahar while one has been cited to be polio contact case, she added.
She said that the sub-national immunisation days campaign had to be bifurcated in two phases as a number of volunteers required in Karachi could not be trained in view situation that prevailed after May 12 in the city. Moreover, she said that the volunteers, mostly the students, at present were busy in their exams. She expressed hope that the second phase of the campaign would be conducted befittingly from June 1 to 3.
Later, a couple of children were administered the oral polio vaccines at a ceremony.
Among others, the ceremony was attended by Abdul Hai Khan of Rotary International, PMA General Secretary Dr Qaiser Sajjad and Dr M Azmoudeh of the WHO.
