100,000 children given anti-polio drops in District Central

Karachi

Around 100,000 children were given anti-polio drops in District Central of Karachi on Monday as a vaccination drive kicked off there amid tight security.

A vaccination drive in the city was cancelled on December 18 following the murder of four vaccinators. Health workers and vaccinators had refused to participate in vaccination drives unless they were provided with adequate security. Keeping the vaccinators’ protection in view, the authorities had decided to vaccinate the city’s children in phases instead of organising citywide campaigns.

District Central Deputy Commissioner Dr Saifur Rehman told The News that on the first day of the campaign, children were administered anti-polio drops in Liaquatabad, New Karachi, North Nazimabad and Gulberg.

“The campaign in District Central will continue on Tuesday [today] after which the number of vaccinated children will come to 210,529.”

To a query, he said 542 vaccinators were taking part in the campaign and performing their duties with special surveillance and security measures in place.

Scientists’ help sought

The deaths of more than 200 children in Sindh due to measles are a serious cause for concern for health experts and those scientists working in the area of molecular medicine need to conduct research on such diseases, stated the Vice Chancellor of Karachi University Professor Dr Muhammad Qaiser, APP adds.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the fourth International Symposium-Cum-Training Course on Molecular Medicine and Drug Research on Monday, he said that the a number of scientists from different countries were attending the course. The ceremony was held at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) of the Karachi University.

Dr Qaiser added that it was a tremendous opportunity for youngsters to learn from the vast experience of these scientists.

Over 350 scientists, including 35 from 24 foreign countries were attending the four-day international event being organised by the Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi.

The vice-chancellor highlighted that the university’s dedication to scientific activities could be gauged from this international event in which reputed scientists from Bangladesh, India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Korea, Egypt, Italy, Sri Lanka, UAE, Jordan, Sudan, Turkey, Nepal, Myanmar, Germany, Sweden and Canada were in attendance.

The former chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Professor Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, said on the occasion that science was beyond borders and could bridge the gap between the nations of the world. He said that education and science held the solution to all the problems of Pakistan.

Later, Professor Atta-ur-Rahman, in his plenary lecture, said that despite financial and cultural constraints, the HEC changed the landscape of public universities and R&D institutions of the country.

Posted in: Karachi News