News
Monday, September 19, 2011
Sub-national immunisation days begin in Karachi today
KARACHI: Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Sindh will embark on a door-to-door three-day campaign in Karachi from Monday (today) to immunise four million under five children against polio.
EPI Sindh manager Dr Mazhar Khamisani told APP Sunday that the sub-national immunisation days (SNIDs) being simultaneously initiated at all high risks towns and union councils in the country, from Monday, will be restricted to metropolis in the province.
“Due to rains and floods SNIDs will begin in other parts of the province from Sept 26,” he said.
In reply to a question, he said 2.5 million children would be administered oral polio vaccines (OPV) from Sept 26 to Sept 29 in all other high-risk areas of the province.
There will be 18,000 teams of vaccinators, including 6,000 for Karachi, to vaccinate children against the virus that continues to haunt kids in the country.
Each team in Karachi will vaccinate a group of 200 to 250 children against 100 to 150 children by their counterparts in other parts of the province.
Dr Khamisani in reply to another question said 17 confirmed cases of polio have been reported from the province during the current year and these included four from Karachi only. “These cases were reported from Orangi, Saddar, SITE and Baldia Towns,” he said.
About other districts of the province, the EPI manager said three confirmed cases of polio were reported from Thatta, two each from Badin, Sanghar and Tando Mohammad Khan.
“Umerkot, Jamshoro and Tando Allahyar reported one case each this year,” said Dr Khamisani.
He attributed the situation to low immunity among the children, often found to be malnourished consequent to unhygienic conditions. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk