ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that Pakistan is responsible for nearly 80 per cent of polio cases reported globally.

“The situation is primarily due to a lack of access to children for vaccination, largely owing to a continuing ban on immunisation imposed by militants in the North and South Waziristan, and insecurity and killing of polio workers in the field,” said a progress report.

Also read: Govt to use all resources to make country polio-free

“Pakistan remains the greatest single risk to the achievement of global polio eradication. Issues involving children’s access to immunisation and safety of vaccinators must be resolved to ensure that the programme can be completed,” said the report, which was made available to Dawn on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2014