QUETTA: Amid tight security, an anti-polio campaign was launched in Balochistan on Monday.

Coordinator of the Balochistan Emergency Centre Rashid Razzaq said that personnel of Balochistan Levies, police and Frontier Corps had been deployed to protect the polio workers.

“Over 10,585 teams have been deployed to vaccinate children under the age of five,” he added.

Mr Razzaq said religious scholars were also taking part to persuade the parents who normally refuse to administer the polio drops to their children. “The efforts of the frontline workers are admirable, yet we still have to stop the virus circulation and save our children,” he said.

At least 8,988 mobile, 941 fixed and 594 transit teams have been deployed in 33 districts of Balochistan to make sure that all children are vaccinated.

During the four-day campaign in Balochistan more than 2.5 million children will be administered polio drops.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the two endemic countries still having polio cases. During the current year, 23 polio cases have been reported in Balochistan and 79 cases in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2020