Religious scholars from different schools of thought, have unanimously decided to highlight the importance of oral polio vaccine and its importance for children under five years of age in Friday sermons.
A local news agency, quoting senior officials of the Karachi administration, reported Wednesday that the significance of the drive had increased even more due to confirmation of a new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) reported recently in Karachi.
In view of the situation, it was decided that prior to the launch of the first Sub-National Immunization Days (SNIDs) campaign from February 15 to February 19, religious leaders will play their role in motivating the parents to get their children vaccinated.
Karachi Commissioner Syed Asif Hyder Shah confirming that the vaccinators were being facilitated in terms of their access to the target group of children, said that additional measures will also be taken to ensure that parents vaccinate their children voluntarily.
“The decision to get local prayer leaders onboard was taken during a meeting with religious scholars from different schools of thought,” Shah said and added that the response to the initiative had been very positive.
To a query, he said that police force will be available to all polio teams during the SNIDs scheduled for next week and for the purpose all micro plans, including security plans are being implemented fast.
He also said that the Karachi Health Services director, as a regular practice, will ensure to keep KMC health officers involved in polio initiatives.
A senior official associated with Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Sindh said that the globally synchronised switch from the trivalent to bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) will also happen during the next National Immunization Days (NIDs) planned from March 15 to March 18.
The switch is being hailed as an important milestone in achieving a polio-free world.
He agreed that routine immunisation programmes also needed to be strengthened across the country to achieve the goal of the polio-free country.