Sindh to begin polio campaign in three districts as Sukkur orders crackdown on illegal clinics

KARACHI: The Sindh government is set to start a large-scale polio immunisation campaign in Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Tharparkar districts, with the drive aimed at vaccinating more than one million children.

Officials said the four-day campaign will begin on April 13. In preparation for the exercise, Mirpurkhas Commissioner Jalaluddin Mahar on Tuesday directed officials to make sure that all vaccination teams complete full coverage across the target districts.

According to the details shared by officials, 6,538 mobile teams will take part in the campaign. They will be backed by 298 transit points and 192 fixed vaccination centres.

Jalaluddin Mahar said, Every child in the target districts must be reached to prevent the spread of polio, while stressing the need for strict oversight of field teams during the campaign.

The campaign has been planned for three districts of Sindh where authorities are seeking to ensure that eligible children receive polio drops during the four-day operation.

Action ordered in Sukkur division after child deaths

Separately, in Sukkur division, authorities have initiated action against quacks and medical practitioners accused of poor practices after the deaths of seven children from suspected monkeypox in Khairpur district.

Sukkur Commissioner Abid Saleem Qureshi instructed all deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners to take strict action against health clinics operating unlawfully across the division.

Officials said a team from the Sindh Healthcare Commission will work with district administrations during the crackdown to support enforcement efforts and help ensure compliance with medical regulations. They said that every child in the target districts must be reached to prevent the spread of polio.

Authorities have also warned that any clinic found violating health standards will face immediate closure as well as legal action.

The two developments reflect parallel public health measures underway in Sindh, with one focused on preventive vaccination in Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Tharparkar, and the other on regulatory enforcement in Sukkur division following the reported deaths in Khairpur.

Officials have said the immunisation campaign and the enforcement action are being carried out through the relevant district administrations and health authorities in their respective areas.