PESHAWAR: The frequency of refusal cases and missed children during door-to-door delivery of polio drops has continued to record a downward trend, especially in high-risk districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but experts want the government to enact a law for making vaccination mandatory for all eligible population to pave the way for eradication of the childhood disease.

Experts said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government should legislate to ensure vaccination of all children. On May 13, National Assembly passed Polio Eradication and Rehabilitation Bill, 2026, to cope with the challenges posed by longstanding hesitancy towards vaccination.

Applicable only in Islamabad Capital Territory, the bill is meant to make polio immunisation mandatory for every eligible child and no parent or guardian can wilfully refuse or obstruct the vaccination except on the basis of a valid medical contraindication certificate.

After the bill is approved and made a law, the people refusing anti-polio drops will be fined from Rs50,000 to Rs100,000 for a subsequent offence.

Experts call for legislation to fine and imprison parents for refusing immunisation of their children

The people, who stop administration of polio drops, can even be imprisoned by court, according to the bill, which also prohibits students from admission to universities and citizens from getting passports without presenting an immunisation certificate.

Health experts say that eradication of polio, a national cause pursued by government in collaboration with UN agencies, must be made mandatory under the law and strict punishment should be awarded to the people showing hesitancy.

Health workers and policemen, guarding vaccinators, face violence from opponents of the vaccine. However, despite the looming threats, they were able to immunise more than 95 per cent children in every campaign.

Even in the May’s drive, two policemen, deployed with polio vaccination teams, were martyred in firing by unidentified assailants in Bajaur tribal district. The number of deaths and injuries suffered by police and health workers was more than 110 since 2012.

“We have to immunise every child till five years and ensure that the province stay clear of polio case for three years in a row. It will serve the purpose to declare the province polio-free. Otherwise, the vicious cycle would continue even if we reach 95 per cent children,” said paediatrics.

In May’s four-day campaign, launched in 23 high-risk districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, health workers reached 97 per cent of the 4.6 million target children. However, 94,459 children remained unvaccinated as 74,864 were not present when vaccinators visited their houses while parents of 19,805 children refused to administer the vaccine to them.

A senior paediatrician says that the government has many options to ensure vaccination of all children, especially against polio, which has brought Pakistan into notoriety as elderly people are asked to present polio certificates for international travel and even for proceeding to perform Haj. He says that senior doctors have been targeted during polio campaigns.

This year, Pakistan has recorded three polio infected children, one from Sindh and two from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one case each from North Waziristan and Bannu districts. These children were not immunised and lacked immunity.

Last year, of the countrywide 31 cases, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounted for 20, mostly from southern districts including five in North Waziristan, four each in Tank and Lakki Marwat, three in Bannu, and two in Torghar and one in Dera Ismail Khan, because of non-vaccination.

Emergency Operation Centre, which is spearheading the polio drive, is making elaborate preparations with special emphasis on security but vaccination of 100 per cent children is yet to be made possible because people deny vaccine at their sweet will, according to health experts.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026