In-charge Health Minister Sherry Rehman has taken notice of yet another polio case in Sindh reported this week, bringing the number of polio-affected children to eight, said a press release issued on Saturday.Expressing concern over the reports, she directed the Expanded Programme for Immunisation (EPI) manager to immediately look into the issue and ensure effective implementation of the programme.
A team, comprising EPI National Programme Manager Dr HB Memon, Additional Health Secretary Imtiaz Elahi, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative to Pakistan Dr Khalif Bile Mohamud and Special Advisor to the WHO regional director Dr Wahdan, is flying to Karachi tomorrow (Monday) to probe into the matter.
The team will help implement experts’ recommendation on the issue. “Rise in polio cases is alarming, as there is resistance to immunisation campaign in Sindh,” Rehman said.
The minister said it was noted that all fresh polio-affected children were not administered polio vaccine sufficiently.