Karachi Launches Major Polio Vaccination Campaign Targeting 1.8 Million Children

Karachi, Mayor of Karachi, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, announced a significant anti-polio campaign aimed at vaccinating 1.8 million children over the next week. This initiative, launched at SMB Fatima School Garden, underscores a concerted effort to eradicate polio from one of the last remaining countries where the disease persists.

According to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Mayor Wahab emphasized the critical nature of this campaign, noting its alignment with the recently passed Immunization Act which mandates parental cooperation with polio workers and outlines legal consequences for non-compliance. The campaign, spanning from April 29 to May 5, is supported by the Sindh Health Department and the Chief Minister of Sindh, reflecting a broader governmental push to confront health challenges in the province.

Mayor Wahab also addressed additional public health and urban issues, including the status of facilities at Jinnah Hospital and ongoing citywide efforts against encroachments. He highlighted the importance of public cooperation in both health initiatives and urban management, urging residents to support the polio campaign and assist in maintaining public spaces free of encroachments.

The campaign launch, attended by Deputy Commissioner South Altaf Sario among others, marks a critical step in Pakistan’s long-standing battle against polio, aiming to secure a polio-free future for the nation’s children.