- International experts, invited to Pakistan by the Federal Health Ministry for technical review and guidance in the wake of number of polio cases reported in Sindh province, has stressed urgent measures and have held the district leadership as the key to give polio eradication drive a shot in the arm with a view to finally ridding the country of the disease that causes permanent irreversible disability among children. The team of experts, called Technical Advisory Group (TAG) met in Karachi on Tuesday and Wednesday with Federal Health Secretary Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, Sindh Health Secretary Shafiq Khoso, Federal DG Health Dr Rashid Jooma, National Programme Manager of the anti-polio programme, Dr H.B Memon, Dr Mazhar Khameisani, Head of the Sindh polio programme alongside experts and representatives of health departments from provinces, World Health Organization and UNICEF. Focusing on specific issues and challenges being faced by Sindh, the TAG recommended greater district accountability with the programme to be steered by the District Co-ordination Officers as a key to giving polio the final push. It was recommended to form district polio committees with DCOs as their heads. It was also recommended that with a view to improving oversight at the provincial level, henceforth the Chief Secretary convene a monthly steering committee meeting inviting all stakeholders. Other key recommendations include initiating environmental sampling of districts so that presence of poliovirus in the environment is determined. "We hope to see the strong commitment made by the Government of Sindh translated into action", remarked Dr Nick Ward, Chairman of the TAG on Polio Eradication, which is an independent body of internationally acclaimed experts which also includes well-reputed medical professionals from Pakistan. Earlier, the Federal Health Secretary in his remarks pledged all-out support to the Government of Sindh in dealing with the challenges confronted in the initiative. Expressing his concern at the number of cases of polio reported from Sindh, he said the guidance in this regard of the TAG was of immense importance and implementation of their recommendations would be ensured. The Government of Pakistan is committed to procure polio vaccines for supplemental immunization activities from its own resources and funds have been also allocated for the next fiscal year informed the secretary. Later, the group in its detailed presentation viewed that there should be a contingency plan for evolving potential security compromised areas to ensure coverage of children during security situations. It was recommended that only finger marking done by teams after vaccinating a child with polio vaccine be considered as proof of vaccination during monitoring. The group recommended that henceforth polio campaigns be held from Monday to Wednesday as against the current Tuesday to Thursday campaigns. Thursday and Friday be used for catch up campaigns targeting children missed during the campaign while intensive campaign monitoring is undertaken on Saturdays.