LAKKI MARWAT, Feb 18: Even though the polio eradication campaign is supposed to commence from February 20, the local health authorities are still in a fix as to what kind of strategy to devise to cope with the problem, especially with regard to people who refuse to get their children vaccinated.

Though the number of such cases is not that large in the district but it has vexed the officials concerned to the extent that they have seriously started pondering over finding out some way to deal with them.

Parents in several parts of the district, particularly in Lakki city and Begukhel, Landiwah and Paharkhel Thall villages, are hesitating to get their children vaccinated and mainly because of rumours being spread regarding anti-polio drops. Refusal cases had been minimised from 1,500 to 702 during the last campaign, which was in January.

The two main reasons which prevent parents from getting their children administered with anti-polio drops are anti-US sentiments and misconception about the vaccine.

Many parents believe that polio eradication campaigns are a part of the US conspiracies against Islam and the Muslim Ummah. They believe that the drops are mixed with family planning medicines so as to sterilize the children for good.