K ARACHI: Around 7.1 million children across the province have been vaccinated against polio during the recently concluded weeklong campaign, while routine immunisation activities continue in 121 union councils in seven districts of the metropolis.
Health department officials shared the information during a meeting held on Wednesday.
The meeting, chaired by Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Peechuho, was attended by Secretary Health Tahir Hussain Sangi, EPI Project Director Dr Raj Kumar, Additional Project Director Suhail Raza Shaikh, EOC Coordinator Sindh Shehryar Gul Memon, representatives of development and implementing partners, among others.
The minister was informed that over 7.43m household visits were conducted across the province during the Nov 2-8 anti-polio campaign. More than 5.93m children were vaccinated through household visits across Sindh, while an additional 1.16m children were vaccinated at schools, on streets and at fixed and transit points.
EOC officials informed the meeting that over 98 per cent of the household vaccination target had been achieved during the campaign; over 2.3m children were vaccinated through household visits in Karachi.
It was pointed out that EPI vaccination activities were underway in 121 priority union councils in all seven districts of Karachi. The Nov 10-14 drive aims to ensure that children who have missed routine vaccinations receive their doses.
The officials encouraged parents to complete their children’s routine immunisation and ensure that no vaccine dose is missed. Efforts to reach the remaining children would continue through targeted follow-up and routine immunisation activities, they said.
At another meeting, officials reviewed the progress of routine immunisation.