Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Monday disclosed a rather alarming detail concerning the anti-polio efforts and revealed that environmental samples have detected the presence of the poliovirus in all districts of Karachi.
Speaking with the media Kamal highlighted the urgent need for action, noting that during the previous anti-polio campaign, over 44,000 parents refused to have their children vaccinated — of which 34,000 were from Karachi alone, with the majority from East district.
Kamal said that this time, efforts were being made to convince hesitant parents about the importance of the vaccine. He also clarified that UNICEF was responsible for procuring the polio vaccine for the country.Play Video
The health minister’s remarks come a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched a seven-day nationwide anti-polio campaign aimed at inoculating millions of children under the age of five.
