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KARACHI, Nov 20 (APP):Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presiding over a meeting regarding the eradication of polio, directed Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah to remove any deputy commissioners, senior superintendents of police (SSPs), and district health officers who are not actively contributing to the polio campaign.
“I am working tirelessly to eliminate polio, but I am facing three challenges: refusal cases, reluctance from officers concerned and migration, which introduces the polio virus into the province,” he stated.
The meeting was held at the CM House on Wednesday and attended by Minister Health Dr. Azra Fazal, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Public Sector Communication Management (PSCM) Agha Wasif, Secretary of Health Rehan Baloch, Incharge of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Irshad Sodhar, and others.
During the meeting, Minister of Health Dr Azra Fazal and Incharge EOC Irshad Sodhar gave a detailed briefing to the chief minister.
CM Shah was informed that there have been 50 polio cases reported nationwide, with Sindh accounting for 13 cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 11, Punjab with one, and Balochistan with 24. In Sindh, there are two cases each in Hyderabad, Jacobabad and Keamari, along with one case each in Shikarpur, East (Gujro), Sujawal, Malir, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, and Ghotki.
Regarding the demographics and the polio/EPI situation, the chief minister was informed that there are 10.6 million children under the age of five in the province. Additionally, 321,323 children have been recorded as migrating with their parents.
Currently, 69 per cent of children are fully immunised.
In 2024, reports indicated that 66 per cent of samples collected from 20 districts across Sindh tested positive for environmental samples of the virus.
When asked about the situation, the CM was informed that there were 43,227 refusal cases identified in various districts in October.
In response, Murad Shah said, “The time for refusals is over; we cannot afford them,” and directed the deputy commissioners and SSPs, through the chief secretary, to ensure the administration of polio drops, warning that failure to do so would result in action against them.
During the briefing, the CM learnt that six district administrations performed poorly during the October 2024 campaign, they include Jamshoro, Central, East, Malir, Kashmore, and Tharparkar.
The chief minister instructed the chief secretary to direct the underperforming district administration, police and DHOs to either improve their performance or pack up. “I want you [CS] to investigate the matter and take necessary action,” he said.
The chief minister concluded by noting that Pakistan, with 50 cases, and Afghanistan, with 23 cases, are the only two countries where polio virus remains prevalent. “We must eradicate it through our dedicated efforts, and all stakeholders, including parents, need to unite to support the government,” he said.