By Staff Reporter
Karachi: Provincial Health Minister Dr Saghir Ahmed said on Tuesday that anti-polio teams were facing resistance in five towns of Karachi including Gadap, SITE, Baldia, Orangi and Landhi in administering polio drops to children.
The anti-polio drive has got a severe blow due to refusal of people to get their children vaccinated in these areas, the minister said while presiding over a meeting of health department officials at a local hotel to review arrangements about anti-polio camps and surveillance. Secretary Health Sindh Shafiq Ahmed Khoso, WHO Director Yehya Mustafa, Unicef representatives Dr Asif Aslam, Dr Laila, Project Director EPI Sindh Dr Mazhar Ali Khameesani and others were present.
The provincial minister said anti-polio teams were facing resistance because of migration of people from Afghanistan, Northern Areas and other provinces and shifting of children from one place to another. Terming this Talibanization, he said people in these areas are not ready for administering anti-polio drops to their children.
Dr Saghir Ahmed said neither any official has been transferred nor it will be transferred in future in the name of polio drive. The prevalence of only a single poliovirus could pose a dire threat to whole region; therefore, all possible steps will be taken to eradicate it, he said. He told all town health officers that they would visit all towns of Karachi to conduct survey about anti-polio drive besides inspecting finger and nail marking.