Commissioner orders focus on high-risk areas, polio drive from April 13

LARKANA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Apr, 2026) Commissioner Larkana Dr. Rasheed Mahmoud Khan has directed district administrations and health officials to give full attention to areas where environmental samples have tested positive, low-performing union councils, and missed areas, warning that poor performance will not be tolerated.

He expressed these views while presiding over the Divisional Task Force meeting on the Polio Eradication Initiative on Monday.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Larkana, Deputy Commissioner Shahdadkot-Qamber, District Health Officer Larkana Dr. Shoukat, while Deputy Commissioner Shikarpur Shakeel Ahmed Abro, Deputy Commissioner Jacobabad, Deputy Commissioner Kashmore-Kandhkot, and District Health Officers participated through video link.

Addressing the meeting, Commissioner Dr. Rasheed Mahmoud Khan said missed areas remain a serious concern and directed Deputy Commissioners and District Health Officers to closely monitor field teams. He stressed that EPI staff must be supervised diligently and the cold chain must be maintained at all costs.

He further warned that fake finger marking would not be tolerated and responsibility would be fixed. He also directed police to cooperate at transit points and instructed Assistant Commissioners to analyze data and remain in the field during the polio campaign.

The Commissioner emphasized that support should be sought from Union Council chairmen to address refusals and directed that children marked as “not available” must be vaccinated the same day.

He also highlighted that malnutrition in the division is widespread and could contribute to the persistence of the virus, directing authorities to closely monitor area in-charges during the campaign.

Earlier, Focal Person of the Task Force Dr. Aziz Murtaza briefed the meeting that only one polio case has been reported in Sindh during 2026 in Sujawal district. However, he said environmental samples from some districts of Larkana Division have tested positive, requiring increased vigilance.

He said the coming four to five months are critical and the April campaign is extremely important. Riverine areas were declared more vulnerable, with 27 union councils requiring special attention, including 14 in Jacobabad, two in Shikarpur, three in Qamber-Shahdadkot, and seven in Larkana.

Dr. Aziz Murtaza further informed that 835 refusal and zero-dose children remain uncovered, while 21 missed areas and 14 low-performing union councils have been identified.

He said that for the upcoming campaign, 5,019 mobile teams, 172 transit teams, and 225 fixed points have been established. DEPC and UPEC meetings have been conducted, micro-planning completed, and training of UC Medical Officers and teams is underway.

He also informed that 192 measles cases, five diphtheria cases, and nine deaths have been reported so far this year. Campaign will start from 13 April to 16 April.