Murad does not emphasize tolerance for skipping children in polio drives

Sindh President Syed Murad Ali Shah has demanded targeted and urgent measures to exterminate Polio from the province, and warned that every missed child can become a potential case. During a meeting of the Provincial Polio Task Force, which he headed in the CM House, Shah emphasized that the routine effort was not enough, and emphasized the zero tolerance for missing children.

“Polio is not eliminated by routine. It requires targeted, urgent and collective measures. We have to ensure that no child remains unprotected in Sindh.” He confirmed the need to hold all levels of administration accountable and said that the fight against polio was essentially a struggle for trust, equity and access.

He checked the recent epidemiological data, campaign preparations and strategies for overcoming rejections and achievement of missed children before the next round of immunization, which is to take place from May 26 to June 1.

Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho said Pakistan reported 10 wild polio cases this year, including four in Sindh, while 11 of the 35 wastewater samples collected in April were positively tested for the poliovirus.

The campaign aims to vaccinate over 10.6 million children under the age of five in all 30 districts of Sindh, which cover 1,292 union councils (UCS). More than 80,000 trained front workers and over 25,000 law enforcement authorities, including female police officers, are used.

In addition, children between six and 59 months receive vitamin A nutritional supplements to improve their immunity during the high transmission season. Special measures are taken to tackle persistent rejections and sick children in urban areas with high risk. A total of 157 doctors will have the task of visiting 6,780 households, while police officers will help with 2,524 chronic rejection cases.

The CM applied the health department to activate the refusal of the conversion committees in all incorrect UCs. “We strive and regularly hide task force meetings to send a clear and loud message to the administration.” He also called for the mobilization of parents, religious scholars, teachers and community leaders to build trust and to ensure comprehensive vaccination.

Sicvd -upgrades

Shah later led a high-ranking review meeting to evaluate the progress of the Sindh Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases (SICVD), with important upgrades and new facilities in the province to expand the free heart care services.

He praised the services of the SICVD Network, which include heart supply, operations and cardiological childcare, and said that the government was obliged to ensure fair access to health care in the entire province.

The SICVD now operates 10 full -fledged cardiac hospitals and 29 breast pain units in Sindh. The CM announced that in the next phase the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Cardiovasculus diseases, which is known as the world’s largest cardiac hospital, is built in Landhi, Karachi.

This facility with 1,200 beds comprises five surgical theater, four catheta laboratories, a hybrid laboratory, modern diagnostic services, extensive pediatric care and a research and nursing pedagogy center.

Additional expansion plans were shared for facilities in Tando Mohammad Khan and Hyderabad. The new SICVD Tando Mohammad Khan will soon be equipped with a pediatric intensive care unit, a surgical intensive care unit and a department for central sterile services.

In the meantime, SICVD Hyderabad has already started to provide a newly renovated triage unit and an emergency department of 19 beds for complex heart accidents. Shah was also informed about plans for a new eight -story facility under the SICVD, which included 300 inpatient beds, extended cathetics laboratories and surgical theater, pediatric cardiology and integrated imaging units.

It ordered the construction to accelerate the construction with strict quality control and robust surveillance mechanisms to ensure that public expenditure provides measurable improvements in patient results.

“Healthcare is not a privilege, but a fundamental right. Whether we are fighting polio or building the largest cardiac hospital, the goal is the same: to protect every life in Sindh with dignity and compassion.”