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KARACHI, Apr 17 (APP):Sindh Government, in collaboration with national and international partners, is launching a province-wide polio vaccination campaign from April 21 to 27, 2025, aiming to vaccinate more than 10.6 million children under the age of five against the crippling polio-virus.
According to statement issued by EOC, in Karachi alone, over 2.76 million children will be targeted during the campaign.
To ensure every eligible child is reached, approximately 69,724 trained polio workers will go door-to-door, as well as visit schools, shopping malls, and transit points across the province. Out of these, over 20,000 will be deployed in Karachi.
A comprehensive security plan has been put in place, with 24,552 security personnel deployed to protect polio workers and support teams during the week-long campaign, of which 5669 will be in Karachi.
This campaign comes at a critical time, as environmental surveillance data continues to detect polio-virus in major cities, including Karachi. In 2025 so far, Pakistan has reported six polio cases, four of which have been from Sindh. While the number of cases is lower compared to the previous year, the consistent detection of the virus in environmental samples is a clear warning sign that vigilance must continue.
Polio is a debilitating disease that has no cure. The only way to protect children is through vaccination. Children must complete their routine immunization schedule protecting them against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, and also receive additional doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV) during polio campaigns to boost their immunity — especially as Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where polio remains endemic.
This is the same vaccine that has eradicated polio from the rest of the world, the same vaccine given before traveling for Hajj and Umrah, and the same vaccine administered by pediatricians and doctors at private and other clinics and hospitals during routine immunization. Even if child has recently been vaccinated by a doctor or pediatrician, it is completely safe to have them vaccinated again by our teams.
The utmost care is taken to maintain the cold chain of the vaccine, from government cold storage warehouses to the moment it is administered to children — ensuring its potency, quality, and effectiveness.
“Each dose of the polio vaccine is critical to building a child’s protection against this crippling disease. Parents must cooperate fully with vaccinators during the campaign and ensure every child receives the vaccine, every time,” said Irshad Ali Sodhar, Provincial Coordinator, Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Sindh.
The Emergency Operations Centre Sindh has mobilized district administrations, religious leaders, medical associations, and media organizations to help promote vaccination awareness and counter misinformation.
Citizens are urged to fully cooperate with polio teams and encourage their families and communities to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated.
If any child under the age of five has missed their polio drops, please call our 24/7 helpline 1166 or WhatsApp at 0346-7776546, statement added.