KARACHI: The Sindh government on Tuesday voiced serious concern over what officials described as an “unprecedented” rise in poliovirus circulation across the province, with new data showing widespread environmental detection and at least 21 union councils affected.
The situation was reviewed during a meeting of the Provincial Task Force held at the Chief Minister House, where Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) officials briefed Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on epidemiological trends, district-level performance and preparations for the upcoming National Immunisation Days (NIDs).
According to the EOC’s assessment, more than 75 per cent of environmental samples collected since mid-2025 have tested positive for poliovirus — the highest rate recorded in at least a decade. In November alone, 10 of Karachi’s 12 high-risk environmental sites and 11 of 17 high-risk locations in other divisions detected the virus.
Officials also reported nine polio cases in Sindh so far this year, including three in Badin, two in Thatta and one each in Hyderabad, Qambar, Larkana, Umerkot and Karachi’s Gujro area.
The chief minister termed the resurgence “deeply worrisome and unacceptable”, directing officials to take targeted measures to interrupt transmission. He stressed that only a “high-quality, disciplined campaign” could curb the virus’s spread, urging uniform performance across districts.
The meeting finalised arrangements for the week-long anti-polio drive, scheduled from Dec 15 to 21, during which 10.6 million children under five will be vaccinated across 1,345 union councils in 30 districts. More than 80,000 frontline workers will participate, supported by over 21,000 law enforcement personnel, including nearly 400 female constables.
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Reviewing district performance, the chief minister expressed dissatisfaction with lapses in field activities and warned deputy commissioners that “administrative pull-outs” would not be tolerated. He instructed health officers to enforce zero-tolerance policies on absenteeism and data manipulation, stressing the need for strong morning assemblies, motivated teams and timely coverage.
The meeting participants were told that 10.6 million children under five would be vaccinated across 1,345 union councils in 30 districts.https://t.co/KkxbZSXAUN
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) December 10, 2025
Officials informed the meeting that while 85 per cent of zero-dose children had been vaccinated, around 12,000 remained unvaccinated. The chief minister called for intensified community engagement, local influencer involvement and consistent mass messaging to counter refusals and improve coverage.
Reaffirming the provincial government’s commitment, Mr Shah said Sindh possessed “the strongest polio infrastructure in the country”, but emphasised that discipline, accountability and public trust were essential to ensure that “no child in Sindh remains unvaccinated”.
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