Sindh polio drive vaccinates over 7.1 million children, hits 98% of household target

KARACHI: More than 7.1 million children across Sindh have been vaccinated against polio in the province’s November campaign, which achieved over 98 percent of its household target, health officials said at a review meeting on Wednesday.
Over 7.43 million household visits
According to the provincial Emergency Operations Centre, vaccinators made more than 7.43 million household visits across Sindh during the November 2–8 campaign. Over 5.93 million children received their drops at home, while a further 1.16 million were vaccinated at schools, in the streets and at fixed and transit points, taking the total past 7.1 million.
Karachi: 2.3 million children reached at home
In Karachi alone, more than 2.3 million children were vaccinated through household visits, with nearly 500,000 more reached through schools, street teams and fixed and transit points. The review meeting was chaired by Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and attended by Secretary Health Tahir Hussain Sangi, EPI Project Director Dr Raj Kumar, Additional Project Director Suhail Raza Shaikh, EOC Coordinator Sindh Shehryar Gul Memon and representatives of development and implementing partners.
Follow-up drive for children who missed out
Officials said special vaccination activities are now under way from November 10 to 14 in 121 priority union councils across all seven districts of Karachi, to reach children who missed routine immunisation. Parents can report a missed child or seek information on the national polio helpline 1166 or WhatsApp 03467776546. The Sindh figures come from the nationwide sub-national campaign of November 2–8, which targeted about 24 million children under five in 97 districts and vaccinated more than 23.8 million in six days, with over 200,000 frontline workers taking part. Nine polio cases have been reported in Pakistan this year.