Parents resist polio immunisation teams in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: As polio immunisation campaigns continue to face resistance from some parents, as many as 1,426 children of under-five-years of age in Hyderabad could not be given polio drops because of the refusal.

This figure is in addition to a much high number of children, 4,456, who were left out because they were not present at their homes.

According to the statistics prepared by the health department, a target of 332,263 children was set for the four-day campaign which started on January 21.

District police detained parents of only eight children and they were released after they submitted written assurance that they will cooperate with the teams in the next campaign.

The fight goes on: Anti-polio campaign kicks off in Sindh

The highest number of refusal cases have been reported from City taluka. The parents of 713 children did not allow the teams to deliver polio drops to their children. Another 533 refusal cases surfaced in Latifabad taluka, 147 in Qasimabad taluka and 33 in Hyderabad Rural taluka.

Similarly, 1,486 children in Latifabad, 1,129 in City, 1,041 in Hyderabad rural and 800 children in Qasimabad could not be immunised because they were absent from their homes during the campaign. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2019.