PESHAWAR: Religious scholars representing different schools of thoughts have brushed aside misconceptions regarding polio vaccine and called upon parents to ensure vaccination of their children to save them from disabilities.

They were addressing a conference organised by Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in collaboration with Muttahida Ulema Board and Department of Auqaf, Hajj and Religious Affairs here on Thursday, said a press release.

Minister for Auqaf, Hajj and Religious Affairs, Sahibzada Mohammad Adnan Qadri, who administered drops to a child to launch anti-polio drive, also shed light on significance of vaccination.

Religious scholars declared their complete and unwavering support for immunisation to ensure children’s better health and protect them from lifelong disabilities. They also pledged to play a role in dispelling myths and misconceptions about polio vaccination at community level.

Health minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah said on the occasion that religious scholars could play a key role in creating awareness among people. He said that they should come forward to create a favourable environment for polio vaccination as the world was awaiting them to eradicate the crippling disease.

Minister administers polio drops to child to launch campaign

He said that the Muttahida Ulema Board could extend a helping hand to government in addressing such misconceptions and pave way for vaccination of all children against the crippling disease.

Minister Sahibzada Mohammad Adnan Qadri said that as polio eradication was a national emergency, the federal and provincial governments, health department, administrative machinery as well as law enforcement agencies were actively engaged in its eradication. He said that all segments of society including religious fraternity should extend their unclenching support to government for the national cause.

He said that religious scholars had a close contact with people at community level, therefore, they should play active role in dispelling myths and misconceptions about polio vaccine.

EOC coordinator Abdul Basit said that despite putting in place a robust strategy for eradication of the crippling disease, the programme was facing multiple critical challenges in the shape of persistent boycotts, religious misconceptions and fake finger marking. He said that those challenges were major stumbling blocks in the way of eradicating of poliovirus.

Religious scholars also signed a declaration endorsing that polio vaccine contained no harmful ingredients and that its use was fully permissible under Islamic principles.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2024