KARACHI: As many as 2,349 female police personnel will assist anti-polio workers in sensitive and hard-to-reach areas to facilitate household-level access during a massive drive.

The seven-day campaign is set to be kicked off on April 13, targeting over 10 million under-five children across the province.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Provincial Task Force on Polio Eradication at the CM House.

Chairing the meeting, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed the authorities concerned to strengthen surveillance and response mechanisms in high-risk areas as the first polio case, a four-year-old child, of the current year was reported from Bello Union Council of Sujawal district.

A statement issued from the CM House said that the provincial government had reported significant progress in polio eradication efforts, with 76 per cent of environmental surveillance sites testing negative for poliovirus, marking the greatest improvement over the past three years.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, senior administrative officials, representatives of international partners, and district authorities via video link.

The meeting was told that Karachi had shown marked improvement, with 10 of 12 surveillance sites now being negative. Other divisions have also demonstrated sustained progress, with Sukkur division reporting a full negative status.

Several districts, including Ghotki, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Hyderabad, Dadu, Sujawal, Jamshoro, and Shaheed Benazirabad, have maintained consecutive months of negative results.

The chief minister was further briefed that Sindh had reported one polio case in 2026, compared to nine cases in 2025

For the upcoming campaign, a comprehensive operational plan has been finalised. A total of 73,824 frontline workers, supported by 8,354 area in-charges and 1,713 UC medical officers, will implement vaccination activities across the province.

Karachi will host the largest deployment, followed by Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Mirpurkhas divisions. In addition, 22,290 police personnel have been mobilised to ensure security, with over 24,000 personnel committed in support of field operations.

The CM noted that with 22 of 29 sites now testing negative, compared to all sites being positive in March of the previous year, the progress was a reflection of strengthened field operations, improved supervision, and enhanced reporting systems. He emphasised the need for sustained momentum through continued efforts.

He stressed that adequate human resources and security arrangements are essential for achieving complete coverage, urging all departments to ensure close coordination for effective implementation.

The meeting also reviewed ongoing reforms in the polio programme, including enhanced training, strengthened supervision mechanisms, and improved data quality audits.

The meeting was informed that special response teams had been deployed in selected districts to address remaining gaps.

Reaffirming government’s commitment, the chief minister said that Sindh remained determined to eliminate polio, and added that sustained vigilance, accountability, and coordinated action are critical to achieving complete eradication of the disease.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2026