KARACHI: Several district administrations on Saturday laun­ched polio vaccination drives in their respective areas ahead of a major sub-national immunisation days’ campaign planned by the health department on Monday (Sept 9).

The week-long drive will target 9.4 million children under the age of five across 30 districts of Sindh.

Highlighting the significance of the initiative, officials stated that the campaign — the sixth subnational immunisation campaign this year — aimed at combating the ongoing spread of the poliovirus.

This year, 17 polio cases have so far been reported in Pakistan, three of which are from Sindh. The situation is compounded by the presence of positive environmental samples throughout the province, indicating continuous virus circulation.

To meet this challenge, according to officials, more than 70,000 frontline workers will be mobilised across the province to ensure that every eligible child is vaccinated.

“Given the current alarming situation, repeated vaccination is especially important. Each dose boosts immunity, bringing us closer to eradicating polio once and for all,” Irshad Sodhar, provincial coordinator of the Emergency Operations Centre, said, urging parents and caregivers to ensure that their children receive the polio vaccine during every round of the campaign.

“It is essential to welcome vaccination teams each time they visit, as repeated doses are key to protecting children from this crippling disease,” he emphasised.

Health department officials stated that families can contact the Emergency Operations Centre’s Sehat Tahaffuz Helpline 1166 or WhatsApp Helpline 0346-7776546 for assistance and information if their child couldn’t get the dose during the campaign.

They called upon the media, community leaders and religious scholars to continue raising awareness about the importance of vaccination and to advocate for the protection of children against polio.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2024