27% of Parents Refuse Polio Drops in Karachi on First Day

News Desk

Karachi: On the first day of a special polio vaccination drive in Karachi, 27 percent of parents refused to vaccinate their children, as reported by officials from the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). 

The campaign, launched on August 15, aims to eradicate polio in Pakistan and will run until August 25, targeting 85 high-risk union councils in Karachi.

During an awareness session organized by the Emergency Operation Center for Polio Sindh, challenges faced during the campaign were discussed. 

Captain (Retd) Anwarul Haque, the National Coordinator of the Emergency Operation Center for Polio, highlighted the coordinated efforts between Pakistan and Afghanistan to eliminate polio on both sides of the border.

He announced that synchronized polio vaccination campaigns would take place in September, October, and November across both countries.

Irshad Sodhar, the Coordinator of the Emergency Operation Center Sindh, noted the integration of modern technology in the campaign, including the use of fractional doses of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) alongside oral vaccination.

Despite these efforts, the high refusal rate remains a significant challenge. EPI officials emphasized the critical need for raising awareness among parents about the importance of vaccinating their children against polio. 

The ongoing campaign is part of a larger effort to eradicate polio from Pakistan, with authorities urging all parents to cooperate and ensure their children are vaccinated.