QUETTA: The polio vaccination campaign, scheduled to begin this week in all 36 districts across Balo­c­histan, has been postpo­ned for two weeks, an official announced on Tuesday.

Balochistan Emergency Oper­ations Centre (EOC) coordinator Inamul Haq said the polio vaccination drive would commence from Dec 30 across the province.

He said a high-level meeting held on Dec 16 reviewed preparations for the campaign. It was observed during the meeting, which was attended by officials from all districts, that further preparations were essential to ensure an effective campaign in the wake of the widespread presence of polio virus in Balochistan.

Of the 63 cases reported from across Pakistan so far this year, 26 cases (41pc) have been detected in Balochistan, 18 in KP, 17 in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and Islamabad.

At the meeting, it was noted that key focus areas must include micro-planning, team training, and improving communication with the community to achieve the desired outcomes.

However, sources said, the polio campaign was postponed due to the strike of health workers on the appeal of a health alliance which had announced they would not take part in the vaccination campaign until the acceptance of their demands.

Their demands include recruitment of doctors and other health officials on a permanent basis, end to public-private partnership in hospitals, and provision of medicines, equipment and other medical facilities.

The sources said the members of the health alliance had threatened the authorities even before the an­­nouncement of this polio drive schedule that they would boycott all campaigns if their demands were not accepted.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2024