KARACHI: Inaugurating a week-long anti-polio campaign to vaccinate 8.9 million children across Sindh, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal shared serious concern over the growing number of polio cases in the country and regretted that the city of Karachi has a high vaccination refusal rate.

Speaking at a programme at a private school on Monday, he said: “Twenty-seven thousand people in Karachi have refused polio vaccination for their children. In the Gujjo area alone, 1,327 households have declined to let their children have protection against the crippling disease.”

Highlighting the challenges in the fight against polio, the minister referred to Afghanistan, one of the two last countries alongside Pakistan where polio is still endemic, currently seeing an immunization drive.

“Right now, a door-to-door polio vaccination drive is in progress across Afghanistan except Kandahar, where children are being immunised at community mosques,” he told the gathering.

Kamal regrets 27,000 parents have refused polio vaccine for their children in Karachi

He urged parents not to miss the opportunity and come forward as there was a treatment for even cancer but not for polio. “Once a child falls victim to polio, he is paralysed for the rest of his life.”

According to officials, the campaign targets 8.9 million children under the age of five across 25 high-risk districts of the province. Running from Sept 1 to 7, the campaign will see the deployment of over 70,000 trained frontline workers in a door-to-door effort to ensure that every eligible child receives the life-saving oral polio vaccine.

In her message, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said, “We have come a long way, but the virus still threatens our children — especially in underserved and mobile communities. I urge all parents to cooperate with vaccinators and ensure their children receive the polio drops.”

The campaign covers 1,041 union councils, with special focus on riverine and Katcha areas, as well as underserved urban settlements. More than 20,000 law enforcement personnel have been deployed to support safe and secure operations across the province.

The campaign is supported by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, World Health Organisation, Rotary International, the Gates Foundation, Gavi and the CDC, as part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

The government has appealed to all segments of society — including parents, religious leaders, teachers, students, journalists and civil society organisations — to support this crucial campaign by spreading awareness, countering misinformation, and helping ensure that no child is left unvaccinated.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2025