Week-long polio drive to begin on Monday

Over 13,000 workers will take part in the campaign, with security from 5,000 cops

The Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio will be conducting a polio eradication campaign across Karachi from February 10 to 17, targeting approximately 2.3 million children under the age of five in all six districts of the city.

More than 13,000 workers and supervisors will take part in this campaign, with 5,000 police officials providing security to the teams that will go door to door and to schools in order to administer the vaccine to children.

After a difficult year with numerous new polio cases emerging, the government is aiming to turn the tide with successive campaigns until June 2020. Meanwhile, the EOC has appealed to all parents with children under the age of five to come forward and vaccinate them against the preventable disease.

Over 30 hospitals, 60 paediatric clinics and Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) centres across the city will be administering the vaccine, including evening vaccinations in order to reach the maximum number of children.

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In the lead-up to the campaign, EOC Sindh has held meetings with district staff across Karachi, in order to identify gaps and motivate the staff. Meanwhile, in high-risk union councils (UCs), high-performing workers and supervisors were appreciated and given certificates by EOC Sindh coordinator Rehan Baloch.

On the occasion, Baloch told workers, "From now till June, you must leave no stone unturned so that we can save the future of our children. It is all of you that turned the situation around from when we had 306 polio cases in the country in 2014 to just 12 in 2018; I am counting on you to do your best to turn this around again."

Furthermore, on the directives of the Sindh chief minister, the EOC had earlier held a session with all UC chairpersons in the city, who pledged their support to polio eradication above any political allegiance. Keeping their promises, the chairperson held sessions with district polio staff to identify areas where support is needed. They will also join teams on the ground to vaccinate missed children, as well as educate those who are hesitant.

Free medical health camps are also being provided by district health officers in collaboration with EOC Sindh in high-risk UCs in the metropolis.

According to the EOC, a long gap in the polio campaign led to an increase in cases in 2019; however, a successful December campaign and a case response in January has laid a good foundation to get back on track against the crippling virus.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2020.