Polio immunisation campaign starts in five Balochistan districts

Published March 10, 2014
A polio immunisation worker gives vaccine drops to a young girl. — AFP/File Photo
A polio immunisation worker gives vaccine drops to a young girl. — AFP/File Photo

QUETTA: A three-day anti-polio campaign began in five districts of Balochistan on Monday.

Officials in the Health Department said medical teams had reached five districts of the province, including Quetta, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Zhob and Sherani and started administering immunisation drops to children below the age of five.

“About 761,000 children below age five will be administered anti-polio vaccine during the three-day drive,” they said, adding that total 1794 teams were formed who were administering anti-polio drops to the children in 228 health centres and 78 transit places.

They added that special arrangements had been made for the security of the teams.

Polio persists in Pakistan with militant groups seeing vaccination campaigns as a cover for espionage.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan recorded 91 cases of polio last year, up from 58 in 2012.

WHO has warned that Peshawar is the world's “largest reservoir” of polio.

Pakistan's struggle to defeat polio stands in stark contrast to its neighbour and great rival India, which recently celebrated three years since its last polio case.

Afghanistan and Nigeria are the other countries where the disease remains.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.