What is important is to remove the misconceptions about polio vaccinations
TURBAT: Polio is a contagious viral disease that in its most severe form causes paralysis, difficulty in breathing and sometimes death. It is an issue not only in our country but in our neighbouring country Afghanistan as well and Nigeria, making us the only three polio-endemic countries still battling with the disease. The fight for a polio-free world is perhaps taking longer than anticipated.
In Pakistan, most of the polio cases are reported in the province of Balochistan. Approximately 16,000 kids below the age of five are deprived of polio vaccines in the province. One of the reasons for this is the ignorance of parents who refuse to get their kids vaccinated while the other is the attacks on polio workers. Recently, two armed men riding a motorbike opened fire on polio workers where a female health worker was terribly injured as she was shot at while administering polio drops in the province.
In the wake of such cases, it is the duty of every individual to spread awareness about the disease among the common people so that our future generations are saved. What is important is to remove the misconceptions about polio vaccinations. Why get carried away by misconceptions when knowing full well that the disease can cripple one forever and could even prove fatal.
Zeeshan Nasir
Published in The Express Tribune, December 28th, 2018.
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