KARACHI: Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio in Sindh is launching an anti-polio drive in ten towns and 106 UCs of Karachi from 18 to 26 February, 2019.

Around 1,483, 602 children of the age of 4 to 59 months and 1,529,487 under five-year age would be administrated Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) / Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) during upcoming campaign.

The Sindh government has decided to launch IPV campaign which adds protection for children who might fall prey to this virus after strains of poliovirus were found in megacity.

About 2,000 centres are being established in the 106 UCs of the city where parents will bring their children to give them injections and OPV to save them from polio. The parents have been appealed to bring their children at centres for vaccination.

Only one polio case was detected in Karachi in 2018; however, because of presence of polio virus in sewerage water, EOC Sindh is launching IPV and OPV drive in the city.

The education department Sindh has also directed the heads of schools for administering IPV and OPV vaccine to students in upcoming campaign. They have been directed coordinate with polio teams.

The drive will be conducted in Korangi, Orangi, Landhi, SITE, Gulshan e Iqbal, Baldia, Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad, Gadap and Bin Qasim towns from Feb 18 and will continued till Feb 26, 2019.