KARACHI: Pathetic sanitary conditions in Karachi are contributing to spread lethal diseases including polio virus and now even Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of two polio cases in the port city.

As per details, polio, dengue, chikungunya, seasonal flu and other viral diseases are on the rise mainly due to very poor sanitary conditions in the city, especially its low-income localities, Goths and slums and the chief minister, himself, has taken very serious notice of the situation.

Addressing a meeting of Provincial Task Force for Eradication of Polio, Shah said his government has issued already issued directives to all divisional and district administrations and health officers for administrating polio vaccine to children, and keeping their areas clean.

Poliovirus is no only found in Pakistan and Afghanistan while the other countries of world have already overcome the diseases.

Shah termed influx of tribal population and inefficient garbage lifting service, main reasons of presence of poliovirus in the city.

The meeting was told that the first polio case of 2017 was detected in August in UC-13 Gulshan-e-Iqbal and another case emerged in November 2017 in UC-4 Gadap, Karachi. Both the cases were detected from District East, Karachi.

Shah directed Commissioner Karachi to get a proper garbage lifting started in District East, particularly in UC-13 Gulshan and UC-4 Gadap. He also directed Municipal Commissioner Karachi to sit with Secretary Local government and make a plan to clean major drains of the city.

The areas of Karachi from where positive reports about polio were received include Sohrab Goth, Machhar Colony, Khamiso Goth (Gadap Town), Chaora Nullah, Rashid Minhas (Gulshan Town), Mohammad Khan Colony of Baldia Town, Bakhtawar village – Landhi, Orangi Nullah area of SITE Town and Korangi Nullah area.

The chief minister also expressed his displeasure on polio positive environmental samples in Kambar, Jacobabad, Dadu and Sukkur.

and directed the commissioners to target water and sanitation interventions in high risk union councils, cleaning of blocked sewage Nullahs, regular removal of garbage and rehabilitation of water supply.