LAKKI MARWAT: Religious scholars have said polio immunisation is not against teachings of Islam and that people should not believe in hearsay and allow vaccination of their children against the deadly disease.

They were speaking at a seminar in Tajazai on Friday organised by the district health department with the support of local administration to highlight usefulness of administering children with the anti-polio drops.

“The OPV and IPV are not harmful for children rather the vaccine is helpful to keep them safe from crippling disease,” said Mufti Ihsanullah.

He said religious scholars and clerics were extending all out support to the health department and partner organisations to make the campaigns against polio a success.

He asked the people to cooperate with polio teams and vaccinate their children against the disease.

District Khateeb Maulana Abdul Wahab told the participants that doctors’ advices should be acted upon in health-related issues.

“Polio is a deadly disease and it can cause lifelong paralysis to children, therefore, we should vaccinate them at all costs,” he maintained.

He underlined the importance of preventive measures and availing treatment facilities to cure diseases in the light of Islamic injunctions and said ulema had no misconceptions about anti-polio vaccine.

Maulana Wahab also asked the people to stop opposing polio eradication campaigns and perform their national, moral and religious obligations zealously.

Other speakers included district nazim Iqbal Hussain advocate, deputy commissioner Mohammad Bakhtiar Khan, district health officer Dr Taus Khan and district naib nazim Haji Arab Khan.

The deputy commissioner asked the people not to link their problems in education, health, drinking water and other sectors with vaccination of their children. “People are still doubtful about anti-polio drives and despite knowing that our neighbouring countries, including India and China, have eliminated the disease,” he added.

Mr Bakhtiar stressed the need for convincing people to augment the efforts by the district administration, health department and partner organisations to make the district polio-free.

The district nazim asked the local bodies’ members to cooperate with the polio teams in their respective localities so the immunisation of targeted population against polio could be achieved in the upcoming campaign commencing from Jan 15.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2018