High-risk Karachi UCs: Needle-free injectors to be used for polio vaccination

KARACHI: In a concerted effort to combat the poliovirus, which has been detected in environmental samples throughout Karachi, around 1.037 million children between the ages of 4 months and 5 years will be vaccinated with fractional-Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (f-IPV) alongside the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) during a special campaign in high-risk Union Councils starting August 15, 2024, officials said on Monday.

Needle-free injectors will be used for the mass administration of the fractional dose Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (f-IPV) during the campaign in 85 "super high risk and high risk" UCs in Karachi, officials announced at a Karachi Taskforce on Polio meeting presided over by Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi.

The meeting, organised by the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for polio eradication in Karachi, included participants from UNICEF, WHO, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International, Pakistan Rangers Sindh, and other stakeholders.

Provincial EOC officials stated that vaccination teams will visit homes in high-risk areas and direct parents and caregivers to bring their children to outreach and permanent vaccination sites, where both IPV and OPV will be administered.

In a detailed presentation by EOC Coordinator Irshad Ali Sodhar the taskforce discussed operational and communication strategies and campaign readiness. The campaign, conducted in two phases, will target approximately 1.1 million children under the age of 5 with OPV, with over 1.037 million of these children between 4 months and 5 years also receiving the f-IPV vaccine.

"We are thankful to the Commissioner for his continuing support to the polio program, which has boosted the morale of the entire city administration as well as our teams,” remarked the Provincial Coordinator. “This campaign is critical in changing the course of history and wiping out the virus from Karachi once and for all.”

Sindh Secretary of Health Rehan Baloch also held a comprehensive readiness meeting for the upcoming f-IPV vaccination campaign, targeting 85 high-risk union councils of Karachi.

The meeting, attended by the EOC Coordinator Irshad Ali Sodhar, core team members, and all District Health Officers (DHOs) of Karachi, aligned efforts to conquer polio.

"As we mobilize for this extensive vaccination effort, our focus remains clear - ensuring every child is protected from polio,” stated Secretary Baloch. "We are dedicating all health facilities and our skilled staff to this special activity. Our collective efforts today are pivotal for a polio-free tomorrow.”

The campaign, set to launch on August 15, aims to administer OPV to 1.1 million children under the age of five and the IPV to 1.037 million children aged four months to five years. The 4,697 mobilized teams will guide parents to outreach centres, ensuring that every eligible child receives both vaccines.

Highlighting the critical nature of the campaign in halting virus circulation within the city, the meeting also emphasized logistical preparedness and robust community involvement.

Health Secretary commended the relentless efforts of health workers and the cooperative spirit of the community, emphasizing, "The journey to eradicating polio is fraught with challenges, yet with our united front, we stand ready to face them head-on.”

Poliovirus has affected 12 children so far in Pakistan, including 9 in Balochistan, 2 in Sindh, and 1 in Punjab, while wild poliovirus has been detected in the environmental samples of 58 districts across Pakistan, including all seven districts of Karachi.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024