KARACHI: The campaign to make Karachi rabies free was launched by Mayor Waseem Akhtar on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, the mayor said the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation had allocated Rs20 million for the campaign that would be carried out jointly by the Indus Hospital and the KMC.

He said that under the campaign, using the expertise and cooperation from the Indus Hospital, stray dogs would be sterilised and neutralised through vaccination so that citizens could be protected from the transmission of dangerous germs in case of dog bite incidents.

He said in the first phase the campaign would be started from a coastal village of Ibrahim Haidery as the residents of adjoining areas of Korangi had suffered more owing to dog bite incidents.

WB team A World Bank delegation called on Mayor Waseem Akhtar at his office on Tuesday to discuss the bank`s cooperation in the city`s development projects as well as working of various civic agencies in the metropolis.

Responding to the visitors` queries, the mayor said that cleaning and de-silting of storm-water drains and removal of encroachments from the drains and garbage disposal were some of the major issues being faced by the authorities.

He also briefed the visitors about details of functions of various municipal bodies, including the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, various district municipal corporations, etc, in accordance with the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2013.

The World Bank team led by Senior Urban Economist Yoonhee Kim, comprised Global Lead City Management and Finance Roland White, and Senior Public Sector Specialist Raju Awasthi.