Minister for Health and Population Welfare, Sindh, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, chaired a meeting reviewing the anti-polio campaign (27th June to 3rd July) in Sindh that targeted 17 districts of the province.
Secretary Health, Zulfiqar Shah, EOC Sindh Coordinator, Fayaz Abbasi, EOC Core Team Members, and DEOC members attended the meeting. Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho stated that even if children are home-delivered it is imperative that the vaccinators and LHWs are in coordination with one another so that each birth is recorded and every child inoculated. The meeting was informed that the total target for the anti-polio drive was over 3.3 million children under the age of 5 and of this 98% of the target was covered. There were 4% still missed from the target however 92% of this number was also covered during the 2 day recall vaccination drive. From the Karachi districts the target was 2413,063 and from this number 99% of the population was covered.
Minister for Health, Dr Azra Pechuho also emphasised that the vaccinators who are not working up to the standards that are required, will be given show cause notices and if the work does not improve there will be stricter action taken. She further added that follow up is extremely necessary in anti-polio campaigns, especially for the communities that are migratory and those families that have dual housing. Also it needs to be made clear that these families are truly of dual housing and not simply families that are away for short periods of time.
Dr Azra Pechuho advised the DHOs attending via zoom call that IPV and Polio drops should be administered to those demographics where there is a high likelihood of 0 dose. She added that 0 dose children will be the kids who wont have other antigens and that will affect the community health at large.
