September SNIDs Inaugurated at the Rotary Community Centre Karachi

The inauguration of the September Sub-National Immunization Days (SNIDs) for polio vaccination took place at the Rotary Club of Karachi Community Centre in Gulistan-e-Jauhar today. The event was attended by the National Chair PolioPlus Committee Aziz Memon, Emergency Operations Centre Focal Person Dr. Ahmad Ali Shaikh, Shahzad Sabir, District Governor of Rotary District 3271, DGE Fahad Sikandar, President Rotary Club of Karachi Humayun Qureshi, and several other Rotarians.

The upcoming SNIDs, scheduled from September 21 to 27, 2026, aim to vaccinate 31 million children in 115 high-risk districts across Pakistan in Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh. The target demographic includes all children under the age of five years.

Three large-scale nationwide campaigns have been conducted since the beginning of the year, reaching 45 million children. These campaigns administered Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) with fractional Injectable Polio Vaccine (fIPV) to bolster immunity in vulnerable and malnourished children who are at heightened risk of contracting the Polio virus.

Upon the occasion, Aziz Memon emphasized that polio eradication is a collective responsibility and parents and caregivers must ensure their children receive all recommended doses, including routine immunizations. He highlighted that Rotarians assist frontline workers during campaigns and play a significant role in overseeing National Immunization Days (NIDs) and Sub-National Immunization Days (SNIDs) in their districts.

They engage with local community leaders to promote polio vaccination and combat misinformation and myths.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries worldwide where polio has not yet been eradicated. However, it is encouraging to note that polio cases in Pakistan have significantly declined over the years.