FIR to be registered against those refusing Polio drops

Karachi- Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, while presiding over Task Force for Polio Eradication at the CM House, said that the abolition of Polio had become a huge challenge for the provincial government. He assured that the challenge will be taken on with utmost priority, with renewed and more effective strategy.

CM Murad Ali Shah said that cases will be filed against anyone refusing the respective service. The meeting was attended by Provincial ministers Dr Azra Pechuho, Saeed Ghani, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Police Dr Kaleem Imam, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, provincial secretaries of Home, education, Health, Finance, all divisional commissioners, representatives of federal government Dr Malik M. Shafi, MR Tim Peterson of BMGF Seattle, John Agbor of Unicef, Dr Abdi of WHO, Aziz Memon of Rotary International and various others.

“In Sindh three cases have emerged during 2019 which is quite painful for me because last year, 2018, we had only one case in Sindh and two cases in 2017,” the CM said and added “this shows that the number of polio cases are increasing instead of declining”.

Shah said that the provincial government and its technical team must make itself accountable for the rise in the number of polio cases. “Where we have failed or our efforts have failed to produce results,” he said.

It was disclosed in the meeting that polio virus have been detected at 11 different areas of Karachi which include Sohrab Goth, Machhar Colony, Khamiso Goth of Gadap, Chakro Nala, Rashid Minhas Road, Mohammad Khan Colony, Bakhtawar Village, Orangi Nala, Korangi Nala, Haji Mureed Goth and Hijrat Colony. The polio virus was detected through environmental surveillance.

In rural areas of the province polio virus have been detected in New Sukkur, Hyderabad and Dadu. At this the chief minister expressing his displeasure said that from 2015 to March 2019, Dadu had been cleared from polio virus and now again emergence of the various must be inefficiency of the concerned officers.

The chief minister directed the chief secretary to take disciplinary action against the officers, including the concerned deputy commissioners where polio virus has been unearthed. “What our DCs, DHOs, polio eradication teams, DHOs and other concerned local bodies officers are doing in their areas that polio virus was emerging there,” he questioned and decided to issue show-cause notice of DCS and other concerned officers for their failure to control polio from their area.

The chief minister directed the chief secretary to prepare a draft law for mandatory childhood polio vaccination. He directed Secretary Finance to release Rs412 million for polio workers.

CM Murad said that he would personally participate in polio drives for encouragement of the polio teams and activation of the concerned departments.