KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has expressed optimism to transform Sindh into a Polio- free province of Pakistan by 2014.
He said that polio eradication committees were actively busy to observe National Immunisation Days under the National Emergency action plan from provincial to district level and were also being monitored by provincial over sight committee regularly.
This he observed while talking to Polio plus committee delegation, which called on him at C.M House here on Tuesday.
The delegation comprised Chairman, Rotary International Robert S. Scott, National Chair Pakistan Aziz Memon, District-Governor Dr. Pir Ibrahim Shah, Mohammad Faiz Kidwai, Dr. E.G.P. Haran, Iqbal Qureshi and Masood Ahmed Bhatti.
Provincial Secretary Health Inamullah Dharejo was also present in the meeting.
The Chief Minister informed the delegation that a rapid decline in polio cases has been reported, as such as compared to 33 cases in 2011, only 4 cases have been reported in the province in 2013, out of which 3 cases are reported from Gadap area due to arrival of Pashtoon families from northern areas.
He said that in addition to providing full security to the polio teams, we have changed our strategy by which female workers and local members have also been included in these committees to ensure full coverage of the immunisation days.
Besides, MNAs and MPAs have also been engaged to create awareness and get the parents convinced for getting their children vaccinated.
The Chief Minister while lauding the role of Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho said that she had been rendering relentless service to eradicate the Polio menace from the society.
He said that a provincial oversight committee headed by Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho has been constituted to supervise all nine vertical health projects including EPI and Polio eradication.
Consequently up to 98% coverage of every round of vaccination is being achieved.
Chairman Rotary International, Dr. Robert S. Scott, lauded the government's efforts for segregating primary health and secondary healthcare.
However, he and other members of the delegation including Aziz Memon, suggested that all transit points of the cities / towns be covered by Polio- eradication teams, special focus be made on Hyderabad and Qasimabad where according to them polio virus was active and posing threat to anti polio campaign.
They also informed the meeting that Rotary's contribution towards Polio eradication worldwide is US $ 1.2 billion and US $ 100 million is being spent in Pakistan alone to focus on the eradication of polio from this country.
They said that their organisation was also working to create awareness and advocacy in communities, schools, madrassa's and villages, educating the common men and dispelling negative impression /rumors against the polio vaccine.
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