KARACHI, June 7: The Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) plans to launch the High-Risk Area Campaign against Polio in Karachi, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Ghotki and three talukas of the Dadu district from June 18 to June 20 and July 23 to July 25.

Dr Shaheed Israan, deputy director EPI-Sindh, told APP the exercise had been initiated because nine different cases of polio were reported from the above-mentioned districts in the recent past.

He appealed to parents to realise the significance of supplementary immunization and cooperate with vaccination teams in getting the target group of children vaccinated.

This, he said, would further help Sindh to attain a zero- level prevalence rate of the wild polio virus by the end of the current year through repeated immunization exercise.

According to Dr Israan, four cases of polio had been registered in Ghotki, two in Karachi (Gadap and North Karachi) and one each in Hyderabad, Jacobabad and Dadu.

The three high-risk talukas of the Dadu district to be included in the exercise were Sehwan, Kotri and Dadu, he said. 4.2 million children under the age of five, belonging to these districts, will be immunized during the campaign.

The month of June, for to its high, sizzling temperatures, is generally considered to be a benign season with regard to the possibility of the transmission of the virus.

“However, in view of the unexpected eruption in certain areas the campaign is being launched to preempt further possible surge,” said Dr Israan.

He mentioned that the WHO last year had advised India to initiate a high-risk area campaign against polio, and the failure to do so had led to outbreaks in different parts of India.

The Special Immunization Days from July 23 to 25 may also include areas where no cases may have been reported but which are considered to be potentially at high risk, such as Khairpur.—APP