Published on: August 29, 2025 2:30 AM
A seven-day province-wide anti-polio campaign will begin across 25 districts of Sindh on September 1, 2025, during which nearly nine million children under the age of five will be administered oral polio vaccine (OPV) to protect them from the crippling disease. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Provincial Task Force on Polio Eradication, chaired by Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah and Provincial Minister for Health Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho. The meeting extensively reviewed preparedness, implementation strategies, vaccine management, and security arrangements for polio workers.
Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah expressed deep concern over the rising number of polio cases in the country, noting that twenty-three cases have been reported nationwide this year, including six cases in Sindh. He highlighted that two cases were reported in Badin, while Thatta, Larkana, Qambar, and Umerkot reported one case each. The Chief Secretary emphasized that vaccination coverage must be ensured in all circumstances, including flood-affected and hard-to-reach areas, and that transit points, schools, and rural communities should remain a top priority. He directed government teams, elected representatives, and local council members to actively persuade refusing parents, while the School Education Department was instructed to ensure vaccination in all public and private schools.
Revenue and Local Government staff have also been directed to remain present in the field during the campaign, while special arrangements, including boats in katcha (riverine) areas, will be made in view of the flood situation. The Chief Secretary added that weather conditions must be carefully considered when planning campaign activities. Provincial Minister for Health Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho stated that more than seventy thousand frontline polio workers will participate in the campaign. She added that all arrangements, including the training of workers, logistics, vaccine supply, and cold chain management, have been finalized. She stressed that polio eradication is a top priority of the provincial government, strict monitoring and accountability mechanisms have been placed, and no negligence in vaccine management or cold chain maintenance will be tolerated.
The meeting was also informed that over twenty-one thousand security personnel will be deployed to provide protection to polio workers during the campaign. It was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Local Government, Secretary Health, Secretary School Education, Additional IGP Police, Coordinator EOC Sindh Irshad Ali Sodhar, all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners, along with representatives of global health partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, Rotary International, and the World Health Organization (WHO). Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah concluded the meeting by directing all relevant departments and stakeholders to work with complete commitment and dedication to ensure the campaign’s success despite challenges posed by floods and weather conditions. He stressed that protecting children from this preventable disease is a collective responsibility, and every effort must be made to achieve the goal of a polio-free Sindh.
International partners, including the Gates Foundation, World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Rotary International, lauded the Government of Sindh’s strong commitment to eradicating the polio virus. They acknowledged the province’s consistent efforts, particularly in challenging circumstances such as floods, and expressed their full support and cooperation to ensure the success of the campaign and to achieve the ultimate goal of a polio-free Sindh.
