KARACHI: A weeklong polio campaign began in the city and some other parts of Sindh on Monday in which thousands of volunteers took part to administer polio drops to children below five years of age.

Officials said that the campaign covered Thatta, Badin and Sujawal districts as polio virus had been found there when authorities had collected environmental samples there months ago.

Overall, more than 2.5 million children aged five or less will be administered polio drops during the campaign.

In Karachi, officials said that more than 7,000 teams of volunteers had been formed to give polio drops to over 1.8 million children during the week.

The rest of the children [more than 700,000] will be administered polio drops in Thatta, Badin and Sujawal districts.

Officials said that the campaign would cover children in the city’s 161 union committees.

Karachi Commissioner Aijaz Khan formally opened the drive by administering polio drops to children at Gizri Maternity Home.

Officials said that around 5,700 policemen and paramilitary soldiers had been guarding polio teams.

Deputy Commissioners of six districts in the city and elsewhere will supervise the campaign in their respective areas.

“No untoward incident was reported on the opening day of the campaign,” said a senior official.

The Emergency Operation Centre [EOC] for polio in Sindh said that the monthly drive would cover a total of 4.1 million children in 21 districts.

Officials said that the first phase of four days’ drive was completed last week in which 15,56,255 children were given polio drops.

The campaign covered Jacobabad, Qambar, Larkana, Shikarpur and Sukkur districts and parts of Dadu, Ghotki, Kashmore, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroz, Sanghar and Benazirabad.

In the second phase, 25,22,460 children, including 18,31,499 in Karachi, would be given polio drops.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2017