First anti-polio drive of 2022 begins
Polio vaccinators, carrying bag of vaccines and documents to collect data, walk through a neighbourhood in Karachi at the start of a nationwide inoculation drive. Photo: Jalal Qureshi/express
Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho inaugurated the seven-day anti-polio drive in Sindh.
During the campaign, about 5.8 million children in 20 districts across the province and more than two million children in all districts of Karachi will be vaccinated against polio.
The first anti-polio campaign of 2022 was inaugurated by the provincial health minister at Khalid Jamil Hospital in East District. The immunisation program "Chhoti Khushi" or small happiness was also launched by the Sindh Health Department.
On this occasion, Sindh health minister said: "our vigilance regarding polio in Karachi is very fast. No case has been reported here for over a year. A world class polio campaign is underway in Pakistan."
The private sector is cooperating with the Sindh government in providing health facilities which is a good practice.
According to the Emergency Operations Center for Polio Sindh, during the seven-day anti-polio drive across Sindh, about 5.8 million children in 20 districts of Sindh will be vaccinated against polio while more than two million children in all districts of Karachi will be vaccinated against polio.
The anti-polio campaign will run from January 24 to January 30, 2022. This is the first special anti-polio campaign of the year to be conducted across Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2022.