Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has revealed that the highest rate of refusal to administer the polio vaccine is in Karachi.
Addressing a press conference, Mustafa Kamal said that polio virus exists only in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and expressed hope that the country will soon be free of polio.
He stated that the nationwide polio campaign will commence on September 1st. However, due to flood situations in various parts of the country, the campaign in Punjab will begin on September 10, while in the remaining three provinces, it will start on September 1st.
Mustafa Kamal further informed that the polio virus is present in the sewage of 127 districts of the country. He emphasized that the only solution to prevent polio is vaccination. Out of 26 polio cases reported this year, 16 are from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), of which 13 are from southern KP.
Speaking about Karachi, the Federal Health Minister said that polio virus is present in the city’s sewage samples.
He further revealed that Karachi has the highest rate of people refusing to administer polio vaccines to their children. He urged parents to ensure their children receive the polio drops.
