At least 1.7 million children below the age of five would be vaccinated for polio virus during the upcoming three-day anti-polio campaign starting on Monday in Balochistan.

The campaign would target 16 districts of Balochistan.

“A three day anti-polio drive will be undertaken in 16 districts, including high risk areas, in Balochistan,” said Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Balochistan Coordinator Syed Faisal Ahmed.

“460 fixed and 530 transit points have been established where 6,540 polio workers will perform their duties,” he added.

The EOC coordinator also said that the focus has been on Afghan refugee camps, adding that strict security measures have been taken to prevent any untoward incident.

“Frontier Corps and Pakistan Army would be deployed in sensitive areas of the province during the anti-polio drive,” said Ahmed.

Last year, at least 14 people were killed and over 10 injured in an explosion near a polio centre in Quetta.

Polio workers have long been targeted in the country due to rumours that the polio immunisation drive is a front for espionage or a conspiracy to sterilise Muslims. The rumours have made inhabitants of lesser-developed parts of the country more wary of allowing immunisation.