KARACHI: Expressed serious concern over detection of a new polio case in Hyderabad, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah lamented that while the world is making progress, Pakistan continues to struggle with the eradication of poliovirus.
The chief minister was concerned at the recent diagnosis of a 2.5-year-old boy with poliovirus, saying that ongoing governmental efforts are being undermined by parental refusals and a lack of cooperation.
“Every case of refusal contributes to the spread of the poliovirus in the environment,” he stated, urging parents to protect their children by voluntarily administering polio vaccines.
With this new case, Sindh now reports five polio cases, while the country as a whole has documented 24. “The failure to eradicate polio not only affects our children but also imposes a cost on the entire nation,” CM Shah added.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to conducting door-to-door anti-polio campaigns, saying that success relies on the active participation of parents. “It is now up to the parents to stand with the government and polio workers to eliminate this virus,” he urged.
Mr. Shah also directed the health department to investigate the emergence of this new case and provide recommendations for policy adjustments.
World News Day message
In a separate address on World News Day, the chief minister called for truth in the media, stressing the day’s theme, “Choose Truth,” stressing that truth must be conveyed in its purest form, cautioning that any distortion or exaggeration undermines its sanctity.
He further condemned the proliferation of misinformation, particularly on social media, where, despite greater opportunities for individuals to express their views, many voices become “strangulated in the falsehood and rumour mills.”
The chief minister called upon all media platforms—print, electronic, and social—to uphold the truth and assist in distinguishing fact from falsehood.