The Sindh Government is likely to announce a cash prize of Rs 10,000 on reporting the new cases of Polio in the province. The proposal was floated in wake of the two recent cases of the polio reported in Hyderabad and the Nawabshah districts.
Most interestingly, both the districts are enjoying the status of 'Polio Free Districts' given by the EPI program of Sindh Government. Sources in Sindh Health Department told Business Recorder that the Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), providing assistance to the government in its Extended Program Immunisation (EPI) project have forwarded the proposal, which would be implemented soon.
The prizes would be awarded to the persons, who informed the health department about the detection of the new cases of the disease, sources added saying the parents of the affected child will also be compensated under the project.
The project is sponsored by the private sector organisations including some international health sector NGOs, while they would draw themselves the procedure for the project's implementation in the local circumstances, an official of the department said.
The government is worried over that the two detected cases of polio in 2008 belonged to Sindh province. While it was also feared that more than 50 percent polio cases might be unreported due to social stigma and complex rural structure of the province, he maintained. However, the official termed the surveillance system of EPI very strong and as per international standards and said that the aim of the project is to further enhance the monitoring process of the polio cases.
All the 1600 vaccination centers working throughout the province would be designated the focal points of the reporting of the new cases of the disease, while a media campaign would also be launched for masses' awareness, he maintained. Sources said that though the number of the polio cases in Pakistan has been reduced to 32 in 2007, but the country is still on the four-country list where the disease is in endemic proportion.
The health department officials are of the view that the cash prize would help the government and the health sector organisations to achieve the goal of polio eradication from the province by mobilising the local community for the purpose.