KARACHI: More than 41,800 children were denied polio vaccine by their parents in the metropolis when health workers visited their homes during the current year, it emerged on 25th February.
The provincial data showed that Sindh has reported 42,999 refusal cases this year and Karachi’s share stands at 41,875. The number of refusals in remaining Sindh districts stands at a mere 1,124.
With over 97 per cent share in refusal cases, Karachi remains a crucial battleground in the fight against polio and its 27 high-risk union committees are currently under intensive government efforts to enhance vaccine acceptance and strengthen community trust in the public health initiative, stated a senior government official.
Irshad Ali Sodhar, the provincial coordinator of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), said that refusal cases were less than one per cent of the total eligible child population.
In other districts of the province, parents of 1,124 children refused inoculation during recent drive, data shows
“As country’s largest and most densely populated city, Karachi remains one of the most critical areas for polio eradication due to continuous virus detection in environmental samples and high numbers of refusals,” he said.
The city’s frequent population movement, he pointed out, contributed to the persistent presence of poliovirus in environmental samples.
“Despite repeated vaccination efforts, transmission risks remain high, making targeted campaigns essential to closing immunity gaps and protecting children from lifelong paralysis,” he said, adding that there were over 80 high-risk UCs of which 27 were being targeted in the first phase currently in progress.
According to Mr Sodhar, the department has taken multiple initiatives to address high refusal cases. This includes community and key stakeholder engagements.
“During the February 2025 national immunisation drive in Karachi, 2,799 health facilities were mapped and actively engaged to support the campaign. Over 2,900 schools and seminaries were involved to educate children and parents about polio vaccination,” he said.
“Mosques were also engaged to disseminate messages during sermons and congregational prayers. A total of 3,442 influencers (including teachers, scholars, and community leaders) were mobilized to advocate for vaccination,” he added.
These efforts, he emphasised, would help overcome refusals and strengthen community trust in the polio eradication initiative.
Asked about any significant reduction in refusal cases in recent years, Mr Sodhar said the number of such cases was around 90,000 to 100,000 over five years back.
According to EOC officials, the ongoing week-long campaign launched from Feb 22 in collaboration with partners is the second drive within eight months in Karachi aimed at vaccinating 562,163 children under the age of five with oral polio vaccine (OPV) and administer fractional inactivated polio vaccine (fIPV) to 521,953 children aged four months to under 5 years using painless jet injector technology.
The EOC official said the use of jet injector technology for fIPV administration ensured a needle-free, stress-free experience for children.
“The combination of OPV and fIPV further strengthens immunity, offering additional protection in areas where the virus continues to circulate. In August 2024, an f-IPV campaign was successfully conducted in Karachi,” he said.
He urged parents to cooperate with vaccinators and ensure their children receive both OPV and fIPV doses. “Every vaccination brings us closer to a polio-free future.”
Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2025
