Commissioner Karachi, Syed Hasan Naqvi, has stated that the complete eradication of polio is the government's top priority. He emphasized that all relevant institutions are working with a national spirit to eliminate the disease. These remarks were made during a meeting with Dr. Nahad Sadr Azodi, representative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Washington, at his office, as reported by a spokesperson on Friday.
Meeting on Polio Eradication
The meeting between Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi and Dr. Nahad Sadr Azodi focused on polio eradication efforts. Commissioner Naqvi stated, "We are moving towards the eradication of the polio virus." He briefed the representative on anti-polio initiatives in Karachi, highlighting coordinated efforts between the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for Polio eradication in Sindh and the health department. He noted that Karachi has come close to eradicating polio several times.
Discussions on Routine Immunization
Consultations were held regarding measures to strengthen routine immunization for polio eradication. Commissioner Naqvi said that attention has been directed toward routine immunization to completely eradicate the virus in Karachi, which has aided efforts to eliminate it from the environment. Positive results have emerged: out of twelve sensitive union councils, analytical samples from ten have turned negative. This significant development will assist in future planning, and it is hoped that the polio virus circulating in the environment will soon be eliminated.
Progress and Future Plans
Commissioner Naqvi informed the foundation representative that strengthening routine immunization has reduced zero coverage by 15 percent. He added that the Chief Minister of Sindh, the Chief Secretary of Sindh, and the Provincial Health Minister pay special attention to the polio cause. They periodically hold briefing sessions with all Deputy Commissioners of Karachi and other administration officers to review progress. The meeting reviewed various measures to strengthen routine immunization, emphasizing that Deputy Commissioners of Karachi's seven districts will play an effective role in the strategy. Improving routine immunization at the divisional level was also considered.
Dr. Ihsanullah Khan, representative of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), and Saud Yaqoob, Polio Coordinator for the Commissioner of Karachi, were present. The Commissioner thanked the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their cooperation and collaboration in the fight against polio.
