KARACHI, Feb 10 (APP):Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah here on Monday registered his deep concern about five new cases of polio reported from different parts of the province
during a comparatively short span of time.
Inaugurating the seven days oral polio immunization (OPI) campaign, first during the current year, he said the situation can be attributed to a collective failure on part of all
stakeholders.
Murad Ali Shah said parents particularly need to realize that they owe a quality as well a healthy life to their children.
“Free of cost and easy availability of polio vaccine is an opportunity that must not be allowed to go in vain,” commented the chief minister.
He on the occasion acknowledged that abrupt discontinuation of campaign following a false alarm in certain parts of the country last year did cast its negative implications on the
vaccination exercise across the country.
“I, however, still believe that society in general and parents in particular, by now, should have been sensitized enough about benefits of vaccine for their children,” he said.
“Sindh that reported just one single case of polio in 2017 registered 23 last year and five during a period of one month and a few days, he said.
Reiterating that commitment of Polio Taskforce towards the cause can never be undermined, he hoped that the target to administer 2.3 million children oral polio vaccine will be largely achieved during the week long exercise in Karachi.
“We have to understand that polio vaccination can not be restricted to few days but has to be a regular and routine process,” said the Sindh Chief Minister.
He urged the concerned officials to ensure a failproof mechanism in administering oral polio vaccine to estimated 6.7 million children from other parts of the province during next
phase commencing from February 17.
Sindh Minister for Health, Dr. Azra Peechuho and Commissioner of Karachi, Iftikhar A Shalwani was also present on the occasion.
