HARIPUR, April 16: As many as 17 per cent women in Haripur in the age group of 15-45 refused to be vaccinated against tetanus, sources in the health department said on Wednesday.

Tetanus, caused by a spore-forming bacterium which enters through wounds, burns, umbilical stump of a new born baby, surgical suture and other injuries is known as a major cause of mortality among pregnant women after post-portum haemorrhage, anaemia and other pregnancy-related complications in Pakistan.

The respiratory disease is also rated as the second common cause of deaths among the women.

The district government in collaboration with a Haripur-based NGO launched a mother and neonatal tetanus campaign in Haripur last month.

In 22 union councils of the district, 78,000 females in the age group of 15 to 45 years were selected to be immunized against the disease.

However, results compiled by the health department reflected lack of awareness and non-cooperation by the women particularly of the rural areas where the literacy rate among women is quite low.

The data of the anti-tetanus campaign in the district showed that about seven per cent of women did not cooperate with vaccinators, not allowing them to administer vaccine in the first round.

In the second round, which was carried out after a mandatory break of four weeks, about 11 per cent of women refused to be immunized against the disease.

The official sources, who were upset over the negative attitude of rural area women, also criticized the head of Government Girls Degree College, Haripur, for her refusal to allow the vaccinators teams in the college premises.

They said a complaint with the higher authorities had been registered against the attitude of the college principal.