Environmental samples have tested positive for polio in three districts of the Hyderabad Division including Hyderabad, Jamshoro and Badin.
These districts have been identified as high-risk areas, therefore a campaign should be conducted vigorously in these districts in the month of June.
This was announced by the Divisional Commis-sioner Hyderabad, Ahsan Ali Qureshi,
during a divisional task force meeting to review preparations for the upcoming campaign.
Commissioner Qureshi highlighted the extreme heatwave in the province and stressed the importance of taking care of frontline workers by providing them with ambulances, cold water, hats, and lemon water.
During the meeting, Focal Person of the divisional task force for polio Jamshed Khanzada briefed attendees that all targets were met during the SNID polio campaign in last April.
He noted that the last polio case in Pakistan was reported in Qilla Abdullah, and environmental samples from three areas in Hyderabad including Tulsi Das, Qadir Nagar and Latifabad pumping stations tested positive for the polio virus, which was matched with the virus of the Quetta.
Khanzada reported that in the division’s nine dis-tricts, 26,635 children were still not available (SNA) for vaccination, and 1,769 children had refused the vaccine, including 1,366 refusal cases in Hyderabad. Efforts were underway, with the help of the revenue department, to reach and vaccinate these children.
There were 5,250 missing children, the highest number being in Tando Allahyar, and warning letters have been issued to address this challenge. Area Coordinator Dr. Raja Batra mentioned the high-risk status of Hyderabad, Jamshoro and Badin due to positive environmental samples.
