Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, officially launched a week-long, province-wide Polio Eradication Campaign by administering polio drops to children at the CM House, reaffirming the government’s firm commitment to eliminating the crippling disease from Sindh.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Sindh IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Health Rehan Baloch, Provincial Coordinator EOC Sindh Irshad Ali Sodhar, Aziz Memon of Rotary, senior government officials, and representatives from WHO, UNICEF, BMGF, and other partner organizations.
Speaking at the event, CM Murad Ali Shah announced that the campaign targets over 10.6 million children under the age of five across Sindh, including 2.76 million children in Karachi alone. The campaign is powered by a dedicated team of 69,724 trained frontline workers who will go door-to-door and visit schools, shopping malls, and transit points to ensure every child is vaccinated.
Despite the ongoing heatwave across the province, the Chief Minister praised the unwavering dedication of the vaccination teams. To support their efforts, the government is providing water, ORS sachets, and other essential supplies to help frontline workers stay hydrated and healthy. For the protection and smooth operation of vaccination activities, 25,360 police personnel have been deployed throughout Sindh.
He urged citizens to warmly welcome vaccination teams, emphasizing that every child under five must receive polio drops. “Polio has no cure — vaccination is the only protection against lifelong paralysis. Addressing public concerns about vaccine safety, he reassured citizens that the polio vaccine used in this campaign is the same trusted vaccine that helped eradicate polio in most parts of the world. It is also administered to pilgrims traveling for Hajj and Umrah and is routinely recommended by pediatricians across private clinics and hospitals. He stressed that even if a child was recently vaccinated, it is both safe and vital to administer the vaccine again during this campaign. The government is also ensuring the strict maintenance of the vaccine cold chain to preserve its potency and effectiveness.
Minister for Health Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho added that environmental samples continue to show active virus circulation, underscoring the urgent need for continued vaccination efforts. She said that vaccination remains our only protection. We must continue with even greater resolve.
Citizens are strongly encouraged to fully cooperate with polio teams and contribute to making Sindh polio-free.