A three-day polio vaccination campaign began in Balochistan’s city Chaman, which has a border link with Afghanistan. According to Unicef statistics, Pakistan contributed 70 per cent polio cases to the world during the year 2014.

Earlier this year, vaccinations were conducted on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border as a step towards cross-border coordination between the two countries to eradicate polio.

Keeping in mind the previous cases of attack on polio workers, security has been tightened during the campaign. Assistant Commissioner Izzat Nazir Baloch said security teams have been assigned to patrol the area where the polio vaccinators are working.

According to District Health Officer Dr Abdul Ghaffar Baloch 330 teams are working in 27 union councils, with two members in each team.

Only five female teams are working in Chaman, solely in the Eidgah union council, who are going door-to-door for vaccination, said union council polio worker Asadullah who has been appointed by WHO.

Female polio worker Bibi Ghazala said she was working in the Eidgah union council as it is inside the city which is safer than the outskirts.