Three-day polio immunisation drive starts in Balochistan on Monday

Anti-polio vaccine to be administered to more than 1.7 million children in the province

QUETTA: A three-day anti-polio campaign targeting more than 1.7 million children in Balochistan will begin on Monday.

At least 6,067 mobile teams with 521 fixed and 413 transit points have been established in districts across the province to administer polio immunisation drops to children below the age of five, said Coordinator Emergency Operation Center Syed Faisal Ahmed.

The security arrangements for polio teams have also been finalised in coordinate with Balochistan Frontier Corps, police and levies, he added. The campaign will commence in Quetta, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Loralai, Duki and other districts.



Urging parents to allow their children to be administered anti-polio vaccine, Syed Faisal stressed on the importance of civil society, religious scholars and media’s drive to promote polio eradication. “Parents should cooperate with polio staff and administer their children with anti-polio drops which will save them from lifetime disability,” he said.

In 2018, a total of three new polio cases surfaced in Pakistan – all of which were reported from Balochistan’s Duki area. Quetta, Qila Abdullah and Pishin have been declared high-risk areas where polio virus is believed to be active.

Pakistan is one of the few countries among Afghanistan and Nigeria where polio virus still exists.