One of the factors affecting this year’s vaccination drive, particularly in K-P, has been a significant rise in the number of parents who are turning away vaccinators. One episode was particularly stark when, in late April, a rumour spread that the vaccine being administered to children was causing them to fall sick. Thousands of parents rushed their children to hospitals. But the damage had been done. The data shows that of the 11 cases reported in K-P, six had been reported after the rumours spread on April 21. In the tribal districts, four of the seven cases were reported after that.
Even though the people believed to be responsible for that have been arrested and are facing trials, the government has decided to withdraw its threat of arrest for the parents refusing vaccination for their children. The Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio, Babar Bin Atta, believes that forcing parents is not the ideal way to go. He is right, for when the conditions are ideal. Not when the progress made over the past four years is seriously threatened and not when all of the measures to amicably convince parents have failed. And those having malicious intent in the general population cannot be ignored either.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 18th, 2019.
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