Sindh CM takes notice of polio cases, poor sanitary conditions

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday took notice of the two recent polio cases reported in Karachi and the deteriorating sanitary conditions in different parts of the city.

Poor sanitary conditions in Karachi are contributing to the spread of lethal diseases like polio, dengue, chikungunya and seasonal flu in the city.

As per details, viral diseases are on the rise mainly due to very poor sanitary conditions in the city, especially in its low-income localities, goths and slums.

Addressing a meeting of the Provincial Task Force for Eradication of Polio, Shah said that his government has issued directives to all divisional and district administrations and health officers for administrating polio vaccine to children and keeping their respective areas clean.

The chief minister termed the influx of tribal population and inefficient garbage lifting services as main reasons for the presence of polio in the city.

The meeting was told that the first polio case of 2017 was detected in August in UC-13 Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi, and another case emerged in November 2017 in UC-4 Gadap, Karachi, reports PPI. Both the cases were detected from District East, Karachi.

Shah directed the Karachi municipal commissioner to get proper garbage lifting started in District East, with a particular focus on UC-13 Gulshan and UC-4 Gadap.

He also directed Karachi municipal commissioner to sit with local government secretary and form a plan to clean major drains of the city.

The areas of Karachi from where positive reports about polio were received include Sohrab Goth, Machhar Colony, Khamiso Goth (Gadap Town), Chaora Nullah, Rashid Minhas (Gulshan Town), Mohammad Khan Colony of Baldia Town, Bakhtawar village, Landhi, Orangi Nullah area of Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate (SITE) Town and Korangi Nullah area.

The chief minister also expressed his displeasure on polio positive environmental samples in Kambar, Jacobabad, Dadu and Sukkur.

He directed the commissioners to target water and sanitation interventions in high-risk union councils, cleaning of blocked sewage Nullahs, regular removal of garbage and rehabilitation of water supply.

Poliovirus is now only found in Pakistan and Afghanistan while the other countries of the world have already overcome the disease.