KARACHI: Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Wednesday sought support from the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) for the ongoing polio eradication campaign, aiming to make Karachi free of the crippling disease.

Speaking to reporters after administering polio drops to children at NJV School as part of the campaign, he emphasised the importance of protecting future generations by ensuring polio drops are administered to shield them from this debilitating illness.

“With the cooperation of the WHO, new technology is now being used to inject the fractional Inactivated Polio Vaccine (fIPV) along with the polio drops, enhancing their effectiveness,” he said.

“I also appeal to Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman (JI chief), Mustafa Kamal (MQM-P leader), and representatives from all political parties to support the government in achieving the dream of a polio-free Pakistan, particularly in Karachi, Sindh, and the entire country,” he said.

He stressed that the government has implemented measures to combat polio and urged parents to have their children vaccinated. He appealed for public support in protecting future generations from the disease. He acknowledged past lapses, where negligence and misinformation led to negative perceptions of the polio vaccine, which hindered efforts to eradicate the disease.

“In many countries, there are penalties for parents who fail to vaccinate their children,” said Mr Wahab. “We urge everyone to play their part in protecting children from lifelong disability. In the first phase of the current campaign, we successfully vaccinated 80 per cent of children in Karachi. The ongoing campaign aims to vaccinate one million children.”

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2024