Sindh Health Minister chairs meeting on polio drive and COVID situation

KARACHI: Provincial Minister for Health Sindh, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, recently chaired an important meeting on the anti-polio campaign and the corona vaccine situation in the province.

The meeting was attended by Health Secretary Sindh Kazim Jatoi, Parliamentary Secretary for Health Qasim Soomro, EOC Coordinator Fayyaz Abbasi, and Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners from across the province via video link.

The Sindh Health Minister said targeted polio coverage in all districts should be made possible in all cases while ensuring polio vaccination in case of absence of children.

She directed to accelerate the corona vaccination process in all districts and keep in touch with all stakeholders in this regard. There is a danger of a fourth wave of the coronavirus, so the scope of the vaccine should be expanded as soon as possible in view of the delta variant.

Dr Azra Pechuho said industries should be told to vaccinate their workers to avoid another lockdown in the event of a possible fourth wave. She said only staff vaccination factories would be allowed to operate.

She directed the Deputy Commissioners that arrangements should also be made for the corona vaccine facility at the NADRA centres so that maximum coverage of the vaccine can be provided. She said medical and paramedical final year students should be assisted in the vaccination phase as well.

Vaccination is essential to avoid the spread of different COVID variants and to restore normalcy. She said action would be taken against the officers in the districts where the vaccination target is not met.