Anti-polio campaign suspended in Sindh

Home/Journal/2012/December 2012/Anti-polio campaign suspended in Sindh

Anti-polio campaign suspended in Sindh

Due to the killing of polio workers in different areas of Karachi, Sindh government has suspended the ongoing anti-polio campaign throughout the province immediately. Sindh Health Minister Dr. Sagheer Ahmed at a press conference termed the attacks as a conspiracy against the nation and the country. He strongly condemned the killings of polio workers working hard for saving the lives of millions of children from polio disease.

It may be noted here that five female polio vaccination workers have been shot dead in a string of attacks across the Karachi and Peshawar.

Dr. Sagheer further said the government was neither scared of terrorists nor indifferent towards its responsibility to ensure optimum protection of the workers and volunteers engaged in eradication of crippling disease from the country. Expressing his sympathy with the bereaved families of the women volunteers, he said Rs. 500,000 would be paid to each of these families.

Dr. Sagheer informed said the recent incidents were meant to bring a bad name of the country and to sabotage efforts made for well being of the children. A proposal to increase the current stipend paid to polio workers had been forwarded to the Chief Minister and it may be finalized soon. The health department demanded the provincial and federal governments and law enforcing agencies to provide better security for vaccination teams so that they could perform without fear. He also appealed to religious leaders and media to spread the importance of anti-polio drive.

During the SNIDs scheduled, a total number of 4,433,680 children were to be immunized against polio virus in the province. For the purpose, 15514 teams were constituted and the work was going on quite smoothly under the supervision of 2504 area in-charges till the unfortunate killings of the workers, he added. He mentioned 13,35853 children were to be administered OPV in Karachi by 6455 teams of vaccinators supervised by 2504 in-charges.

2013-05-15T16:07:05+00:00