Anti-polio drive: Maximum number of refusal cases in Peshawar

Parents of 11,100 of 0.75 million children refuse administration of polio drops to children, says official

PESHAWAR: Peshawar recorded its highest number of refusal cases for the second time during a three-day National Immunisation Campaign, despite jirgas held by the district administration to convince locals to immunise their children against polio.

A senior health department official told The Express Tribune that parents of 11,100 of 0.75 million children refused the administration of polio drops to their children for a number of different reasons.

Read: A step back: Another case emerges as anti-polio drive kicks off

The official further said that the administration had recently held a jirga in Badhber, where it claimed to have convinced over 120 families to have their children administered with polio drops and other vaccines for eight preventable diseases.

However, the number of refusal cases were a clear indicator that people are still reluctant, despite the on-going catch-up campaign. The campaign is set to be carried out in the Tank district for two days.

Deputy Commissioner Riaz Mehsood told The Express Tribune that the administration had already devised a new strategy and had been holding jirgas to convince people to vaccinate their children.

Read: In full swing: Polio eradication campaign achieves 51 % target

“We contact them (parents) through jirgas in their respective villages but if they still refuse to administer drops to their children, we will not hesitate to take action and deal with them in accordance with the law,” Mehsood said.

In several incidents, health workers have been attacked for carrying out anti-polio campaigns. Health workers Kaneez and Sitara and a police guard were killed on Tuesday this week near an Afghan refugee camp on the outskirts of Mansehra city.

Read: Anti-polio drive: 2 lady health workers, police guard shot dead

In a similar attack, unidentified assailants shot dead a member of a polio team and injured another in Bajaur Agency.

According to officials involved in the polio eradication campaign, the campaign in Mansehra's district was suspended upon the advice of the district administration.