CM launches week-long polio campaign, urges collective effort to eradicate virus

KARACHI, Sep 21 (APP):Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday launched a seven-day National Polio Eradication Campaign in Sindh, reaffirming the provincial government’s commitment to eliminating the crippling disease and calling upon parents, community leaders, religious scholars, civil society, and the media to play an active role in ensuring that every child receives the life-saving vaccine.

     The Chief Minister inaugurated the campaign during a visit to the Rotary Club Community Centre in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, where he also administered polio drops to children. Secretary School Education Zahid Abbasi, Health Secretary Tahir Sangi, Polio Programme In-Charge Shehryar Gul, representatives of partner organisations Aziz Memon of Rotary International, and others attended the ceremony.

   Prior to the inauguration, the Chief Minister reviewed various facilities at the Rotary Club Community Centre and was briefed on ongoing efforts to support children affected by polio.

    He visited the prosthetics unit, where children disabled by polio are being provided with artificial limbs and callipers, and reviewed physiotherapy services being offered for their rehabilitation.

During the visit, the Chief Minister met Huma, a polio worker who had lost both legs due to the disease. Aziz Memon informed him that Rotary International had facilitated the provision of artificial limbs to her. He also interacted with children affected by polio and reviewed the support and rehabilitation services being extended to them.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the Chief Minister said that in the entire world, only two countries are left where the polio virus is still affecting children, but stressed that significant challenges still remained. He noted that Pakistan and Afghanistan were the only two countries in the world where the polio virus continued to circulate.

He said that 31 polio cases were reported in Pakistan and 21 in Afghanistan last year. In 2026, Pakistan has so far reported four cases, including one from Sujawal district in Sindh and three from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while Afghanistan has recorded 29 cases.

“Considerable progress has been made towards eliminating polio, but our task is not yet complete,” he said, adding that the presence of the virus anywhere in the world continued to pose a threat to children everywhere.

The Chief Minister credited the progress made in Sindh to the collective efforts of the provincial government, frontline workers, parents, community leaders, development partners, and civil society organisations. He noted that environmental surveillance indicators in Sindh had shown encouraging improvement.

According to the Chief Minister, the proportion of positive environmental samples has declined significantly since January 2026. He said the positivity rate dropped from 62 per cent to 20 per cent in August. Of the six positive environmental samples detected during the month, four were reported from Karachi Division and two from Hyderabad Division, while all samples collected outside these divisions tested negative.

Shah stressed that targeted and coordinated interventions could further reduce virus transmission. “There is no room for complacency in the fight against polio,” he said, warning that every unvaccinated child creates an opportunity for the virus to spread.

He described Pakistan’s anti-polio campaign as being at a decisive stage and expressed confidence that interrupting virus transmission by the end of 2027 was an achievable goal, provided that high-quality vaccination campaigns and sustained commitment continued.

“The final phase of polio eradication is often the most difficult,” he said. “Reaching every child in every household without exception is the key to our success. Every vaccinated child brings us closer to a polio-free Sindh and Pakistan.”

The Chief Minister announced that the sub-national immunisation campaign would continue from September 21 to 27 across Sindh. The drive aims to vaccinate nearly 10 million children under the age of five in all 30 districts of the province.

Full campaign coverage will be provided in 23 districts, while seven districts will receive partial coverage based on programme requirements.

He said more than 80,000 trained vaccinators, social mobilisers, and supervisors would participate in the campaign, conducting door-to-door visits to administer polio drops. To ensure security, over 26,000 police personnel, including around 2,300 women police constables, have been deployed throughout the province.

The Chief Minister paid tribute to health workers, vaccinators, police personnel, and security agencies for their dedication and sacrifices in protecting children from the disease. He emphasised that polio eradication was not solely the responsibility of the government or health workers but a shared national obligation.

Appealing directly to parents, he urged them to ensure that all children under five years of age receive polio drops during every campaign. He reiterated that the vaccine was safe, effective, and essential for protecting children from lifelong disability.

    Talking to media representatives after the ceremony, the Chief Minister said he makes it a point to personally inaugurate anti-polio campaigns to demonstrate the government’s commitment to the cause. He appreciated the contributions of international and national partners, including the Gates Foundation, UNICEF, Rotary International, and other organisations supporting the programme.

He noted that Sindh’s only polio case this year was reported in Sujawal in February and commended the Health Department, under the leadership of Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, for its hard work in reducing virus transmission.

Mr Shah disclosed that the provincial government had recently increased the remuneration of polio workers by 28 per cent, acknowledging their role as frontline defenders of children’s health.

He also appealed to religious scholars, elected representatives, journalists, civil society organisations, and media houses to help counter misinformation and strengthen public awareness regarding vaccination. “Media support is crucial in overcoming propaganda and ensuring that every family understands the importance of immunisation,” he said.

Referring to broader public concerns, the Chief Minister expressed worry over rising petroleum prices and their impact on inflation, saying that both the Sindh Government and the Pakistan Peoples Party were deeply concerned about the increasing burden on citizens. He noted that the Sindh Assembly had passed a resolution urging the federal government to take measures to reduce petroleum prices.

Concluding his address, the Chief Minister said that protecting every child from polio was essential for securing a healthier and brighter future for Sindh and Pakistan. “Together, through determination and collective action, we can achieve a polio-free future for our children,” he said.