SUKKUR (Bureau Report): Deputy Commissioner Sukkur Nadir Shehzad Khan chaired a meeting to review preparations for a polio booster dose campaign in the district’s riverine areas.
The campaign will begin on August 10, 2026, and continue until August 18 across nine union councils in the riverine areas of Sukkur district.
The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Majid Mako, Assistant Commissioner New Sukkur Bushra Mansoor, AC City Sarah Faraz, AC Pano Aqil Urwat-ul-Wusqa, AC Rohri Ghulam Murtaza, DHO Sukkur Dr Ali Gul Shah, Dr Waqar Ali, Dr Tanveer Abbasi and officials from health, PPHI, education, police, local government, information and other departments.
Campaign focal person Dr Waqar Ali briefed the meeting that all preparations had been completed, including the micro-plan and selection of trained staff, in coordination with all relevant stakeholders.
He said children between four months and 10 years of age would receive a polio booster dose through a needle-free jet injector. He said the procedure was safe, effective and caused little or no pain.
According to Dr Waqar, 117 outreach teams have been formed to cover 54,371 target children. The teams will visit around 23,185 families and 84 schools in the riverine areas.
He explained that the jet-injector vaccine would help strengthen children’s immunity against polio and other diseases. Children under five would also receive regular oral polio vaccine drops during the campaign.
The booster programme has been specifically planned for children living in riverine areas, particularly those from families who frequently move from one location to another.
Deputy Commissioner Nadir Shehzad Khan directed health officials to ensure the campaign achieves the highest possible coverage. He said protecting children’s health was the administration’s top priority and the government initiative should provide maximum benefit to the public.
He stressed that cold-chain standards must be maintained throughout the campaign. He also warned that the jet-injector vaccine was an expensive medical product and that any negligence resulting in reduced vaccine effectiveness would not be tolerated.
The deputy commissioner directed officials to immediately report any problems encountered during the campaign instead of keeping them at departmental level, so that the district administration could take timely action.
He also highlighted the importance of cooperation from the police and education departments in providing security and support to vaccination teams.
He further directed officials to seek the assistance of community representatives and Union Council support teams to ensure the campaign reaches all eligible children in the riverine areas.
About The Author
