Task force decides to intensify efforts to end polio

Let’s end polio, once and for all, says chief secretary

KARACHI: This is the last ditch effort so we must get together and give it one last try to eradicate polio from Pakistan, said provincial chief secretary Siddique Memon while chairing a provincial task force on polio meeting at his office on Wednesday.

He said it is heartening to see that since the last meeting, the partners and officers have done a better job, things are improving and milestones have been achieved. He remarked that the participation of female teams has also improved but focus must be given on improving routine Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI).

The good thing is that the actual coverage in Karachi is above 90%, said chairperson of the monitoring and oversight committee, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho. Northern Sindh has also improved significantly but we must bring these numbers to 100%, she remarked.



According to her, scattered refusals are not as much of an issue, however, clusters must be tackled to prevent polio in the province. Meetings are taking place to improve routine immunisation but district polio control rooms must also take up this task and arrange monthly meetings to review the progress on routine immunisation, she urged.

Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Sindh coordinator Dr Fayaz Jatoi said there were seven cases in Karachi in 2015 but this year so far there has only been one. “We have made history in Sindh by having negative environment samples for three consecutive months, however, there is still much more work to be done,” he said.

“One child neglected is a threat to all,” said Dr Jatoi. He said that there is a routine immunisation acceleration plan and the health director-general Sindh and EOC health joint teams will visit each district to review the immunisation and implement activities to strengthen it.

Dr Jatoi remarked that the level of ownership taken by commissioners and deputy commissioners has given very good results. He requested support from the provincial task force and asked the chief secretary to issue directives for daily district polio control room meetings, monthly review meetings by divisional task forces and placement of two vaccinators in the health facility in each union council.

He also requested the health secretary for the recruitment of medical officers and filling of lady health worker vacant posts.

Aziz Memon from Rotary International said they will provide 50,000 more vaccine carriers to be used, as well as refrigerators.

Dr Abdi from the World Health Organisation, Islamabad said that the leadership of Sindh has turned the situation around in a very short time and expressed his pleasure at seeing measures for accountability are being taken.



Prime minister’s focal person on polio Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq mentioned that strict oversight has resulted in a marked improvement in Sindh and the divisional task forces of Karachi, Larkana and Sukkur have been instrumental in making these improvements. She added a new task force is being put together for Hyderabad.

“The last campaign results show how good oversight and monitoring can improve the quality of campaigns, we would like to see the officers who performed well remain in their positions and continue to play this positive role in the eradication of polio virus from Pakistan,” she said.

“We need to continue to vaccinate children, pay attention to our high risk areas and also keep our focus on moving populations,” said Senator Farooq.

According to her, the macro picture has improved everywhere and what we need to pay attention to is the micro picture. “We have set ambitious goals for ourselves in the national emergency action plan and we must work hard to achieve them; we must eradicate polio and improve routine immunisation throughout the country.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2016.