Sindh CM Takes Strict Action as New Polio Cases Emerge
Karachi – Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken stern measures against officials for lapses in the province’s polio eradication efforts following the detection of three new cases in September.
During a meeting on polio eradication at the CM House on Tuesday, Shah suspended the services of two District Health Officers, Dr. Anjum Ali Soomro of Badin and Dr. Wali Muhammad Rahimoon of Keamari. Disciplinary notices were issued to the Deputy Commissioners of Badin and Thatta, and the Assistant Commissioners of Matli and Mirpur Sakro were removed from their posts.
“Polio is a debilitating disease, and its eradication is our national duty. Negligence will not be tolerated,” the chief minister said, emphasizing the need for diligence in protecting every child.
The meeting was attended by Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Secretary to the CM Raheem Shaikh, Health Secretary Rehan Baloch, EOC Coordinator Irshad Sodhar, and other officials.
Officials reported that nine polio cases have been confirmed across the province, including three in Badin, two in Thatta, and one each in Hyderabad, Larkano, Kambar, and Umerkot. Despite vaccination drives achieving over 98% coverage, the virus continues to target vulnerable children.
Minister of Health Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho warned that the polio virus “exploits the smallest gaps,” prompting a shift in strategy to identify and protect children who were previously missed.
The chief minister directed the Sindh Health Department and the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to launch an aggressive new phase of the polio campaign. Two large-scale campaigns are planned for October and December, with a focused fractional Inactivated Polio Vaccine (fIPV) drive in Karachi and a combined Measles-Polio campaign in November. Immediate mop-up vaccinations using Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) and IPV boosters are already underway in affected areas.
The September campaign had left about 4,500 children unvaccinated, while environmental testing shows that 81% of Sindh’s sites, including all 12 in Karachi, remain positive for the virus. Recent cases in Badin and Umerkot have been linked to mobile and migrant populations, who are often difficult to reach with regular health services.
“Our campaigns are reaching most children, but polio eradication is about protecting every last child,” Shah said, stressing the importance of closing gaps in vaccination coverage.
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