Sindh pledges vigorous action to prevent poliovirus transmission

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah has reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to taking all necessary measures to interrupt the circulation of the poliovirus in the province.

Addressing the concluding session of a four-day polio outbreak response training organized by the WHO Regional Hub office here, he said, “My presence here demonstrates our resolve to reach this goal."

The training catered to provincial, divisional, and district-level program staff from WHO, UNICEF, NSTOP, EPI, and government health departments.

Emphasizing the importance of the training and its timing, the chief secretary said it would help in identifying gaps and devising effective responses with quality plans and resources.

He expressed confidence in the capacity of the anti-polio teams under the leadership of Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Sindh Coordinator Irshad Sodhar, assuring full support from senior political and administrative leadership to ensure every child receives vaccination against this preventable disease.

On the occasion, Mr Sodhar shared strategic actions taken by the EOC in Sindh to identify populations that may transmit the virus between regions. He highlighted the significance of targeting polio eradication activities at the area level, rather than districts, stressing the need for adopting a localized approach.

He commended the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) leadership for organizing the training in Karachi, stating it will benefit the frontline program leadership, guiding them in the right direction.

Those who addressed the event also included WHO Country Representative Dr. Lu Dapeng, Dr. Hamid Jaffri, WHO EMRO Hub Coordinator, Dr. Zainulabideen, WHO Pakistan Team Lead, and Dr. Shahzad Baig, National EOC Coordinator.