QUETTA: Amid tight security, an anti-polio campaign was launched in Quetta and twenty five other districts of Balochistan on Monday morning. However, the campaign could not be launched in four Northern districts of the province owing to security threats.

Sources in the Balochistan Health Department told Dawn that the campaign could not be launched in Zhob, Loralai, Killa Saifullah and Musakhail due to security threats. Militants in the area had kidnapped eight people in retaliation to a crackdown against them by security forces. They had also killed an official of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after the kidnapping and the remaining persons are still under their custody.

The campaign was launched in Quetta, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar and other districts of Balochistan to eradicate the crippling virus.

Health sources told Dawn that around two million children below the age of five years would be administered polio drops during the campaign.

Take a look: Pakistan's first polio case of 2015 reported from Balochistan

The Balochistan government has constituted 5,706 mobile teams, 693 fixed teams and 274 transit teams to ensure provision of polio drops to children to eradicate the disease from the province.

An officer of the Balochistan Home and Tribal Affairs department told Dawn that teams across the province were provided with security to avert any untoward incident during the campaign.

Militants have targeted polio teams in Quetta and other towns of Balochistan several times in the past. On November 26, armed militants had attacked a polio team and killed four polio workers, including three females, in the Eastern Bypass area of Quetta. The banned militant group Jundullah had claimed the responsibility for the attack.

Know more: Jundullah claims attack on polio workers in Quetta

Last year, a total of 23 polio cases were reported from Balochistan. Health sources said 12 cases were reported from the Killa Abdullah district that borders with neighbouring Afghanistan.