Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has issued firm directives to the Sindh Health Department, urging them to take all necessary steps to ensure the success of the ongoing 10-day polio eradication campaign in Karachi. Addressing health department officials on Saturday, Shah stressed the critical need for vaccinators and polio workers to reach every child in the city, emphasizing that no child should be missed during this vital drive.
Shah highlighted the pivotal role of public cooperation in the fight against polio, a crippling disease that Pakistan and Afghanistan are still battling while many other countries have successfully eradicated it. He made it unequivocally clear that stern action would be taken against any parents or guardians who refuse to have their children vaccinated against polio.
In a statement issued from the CM House, Shah expressed deep concern over the increasing number of refusal cases, which pose a significant challenge to the success of the campaign. He directed the health department to redouble their efforts, making the eradication campaign more effective and ensuring that no refusal goes unaddressed.
“I will not accept any type of refusal from parents,” Shah asserted, underlining his commitment to the cause. He has issued strict instructions to the district administration and the police to act swiftly in cases where parents or guardians refuse the polio vaccine for their children.
Shah also pointed out that throughout the world, even smaller and less developed countries have managed to eradicate polio, but Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to struggle due to resistance from some parents. He vowed that his administration would not allow any parent to deny their child the life-saving polio drops, reinforcing the importance of collective action in eliminating the virus from the province and the country.
