Polio immunisation campaign sees massive boost across Sindh

A province-wide push to eradicate polio in Sindh gained momentum on Tuesday, with the district administrations taking the lead to ensure the success of the ongoing Sub-National Immunisation Days campaign.

The drive running from September 9 to September 15 aims to vaccinate 9.4 million children under the age of five across 30 districts, focusing particularly on high-risk areas and underperforming union councils.

As of day 2, significant coverage has been achieved across several districts, with initial reports showing the campaign is meeting daily targets, though further efforts are being intensified in challenging areas.

In accordance with the directives of Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah, divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners, along with their assistant commissioners and district health officers, were fully mobilised, emphasising the urgency of the campaign.

Their hands-on involvement highlights the government’s commitment to reaching every child, and addressing growing challenges like vaccine refusals. In many districts, refusal cases have been directly handled by senior officials, resulting in the conversion of hundreds of cases previously resistant to vaccination.

Across Sindh, senior officials have been visible in the field, not only overseeing the operations but also engaging directly with communities and parents to encourage vaccinations.

For instance, in District Badin, Assistant Commissioner Shaharyar led efforts in Goth Aaru Pussiyo and Goth Kirar Chang, converting over 231 refusal cases by directly engaging with local influencers and community leaders. This approach has been mirrored across various districts, contributing to the province-wide campaign’s growing success.

This level of involvement is key in tackling the stubborn vaccine hesitancy, which remains a significant hurdle in certain areas, said Irshad Sodhar, provincial coordinator for the Emergency Operations Centre.

In Hyderabad, Commissioner Bilal Ahmed Memon took a proactive approach by visiting areas with a history of vaccine refusals, including UC Nagoline in Jamshoro and UC-124 in Latifabad, Hyderabad.

By directly interacting with hesitant families, his efforts led to the successful vaccination of many children who had previously been missed, signalling the government’s determination to ensure that no child is left behind.

Similarly, in Mirpurkhas, Commissioner Faisal Ahmed Uqaili inaugurated the campaign in UC-6 Satellite Town, overseeing the launch and ensuring that high-risk children received polio drops. His active involvement underscored the importance of personal engagement in fostering trust with local communities.

In Shaheed Benazirabad, Commissioner Syed Muhammad Sajjad Hyder Shah monitored activities in UC-9 Nawabshah and at key transit points, ensuring the vaccination of mobile populations. His presence reassured both the vaccination teams and the local communities, fostering greater cooperation.

Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Phull from Larkana visited high-risk UCs in Larkana, Jacobabad and Kamber. His supervision ensured that mobile, fixed and transit teams covered all children in remote areas, emphasising the importance of reaching even the most isolated populations.

In the past two days, over 500 missed children in the border UCs of Larkana have now been vaccinated, thanks to his direct involvement in overseeing the teams.

Meanwhile, Sukkur Commissioner Fayyaz Abbasi inaugurated the campaign in Ghotki, focusing on the smooth execution of the campaign in high-risk areas and providing oversight to ensure adherence to protocols, including cold-chain management. His presence motivated the teams to push forward, and over 600 refusals were covered by midday on day 2.

On the first day of the campaign, Commissioner Memon’s field visits in Hyderabad were aimed at addressing a refusal cluster, while Commissioner Uqaili oversaw efforts in high-risk areas of Mirpurkhas.

Similarly, Commissioner Shah, Commissioner Phull and Commissioner Abbasi provided critical oversight in Shaheed Benazirabad, Larkana and Sukkur respectively, ensuring the vaccination teams reached mobile populations and children in remote areas.

On the second day, Commissioner Memon continued his monitoring efforts, including refusal conversions at the CDF Hospital and the Railway Station Hyderabad. Commissioner Phull remained active in covering high-risk zones across multiple districts, reviewing progress in evening meetings.

Commissioner Shah and Commissioner Abbasi maintained their leadership roles, ensuring cold-chain management and motivating frontline workers. In Karachi, Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, along with South DC Capt. (retd) Altaf Hussain Sario, visited Jodia Bazaar to monitor the polio campaign’s progress, focusing on refusal conversions and school vaccination efforts.