The September SNIDs (Sub-National Immunization Days) for polio vaccination were inaugurated yesterday at the Rotary Club of Karachi Community Centre in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. The National Chair of the PolioPlus Committee, Aziz Memon, also a Past Trustee of The Rotary Foundation, along with the EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) Focal Person, Dr. Ahmad Ali Shaikh, Shahzad Sabir, District Governor, Rotary District 3271, and DGE Fahad Sikandar, inaugurated the September SNIDs. Also attending the event were Humayun Qureshi, President, Rotary Club of Karachi and several Rotarians.    

The upcoming SNIDs, scheduled from Sept 21 to 27, 2026, will target 31 million children in 115 polio high-risk districts across the country, including Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh. These SNIDs will cover all children under the age of five years.

Three large-scale nationwide campaigns have already been implemented since the beginning of the year, covering 45 million children, where some targeted high-risk areas were administered OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine) with fIPV (fractional Injectable Polio Vaccine) to strengthen immunity in weak and malnourished children, who are quick to fall prey to the Polio virus.

Speaking on the occasion, Aziz Memon stated, “Polio eradication is a collective responsibility. Parents and caregivers play a crucial role by ensuring their children receive all the recommended doses, including routine immunizations. Rotarians facilitate polio frontline workers during campaigns and play a significant role in monitoring NIDs/SNIDs in their districts, engaging with local community leaders to promote polio vaccination and counter misinformation and myths.”

Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only 2 countries in the world where polio has not been eradicated.  It is encouraging, though, that polio cases in Pakistan have significantly reduced over the years.