Karachi vaccine refusals

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Despite being Pakistan's largest and most urbanised city, Karachi has the highest polio vaccine refusal cases in the country. Recent reports have revealed that out of 42,999 refusal cases, 41,875 were from Karachi and only 1,124 were from the remaining districts of Sindh.

These statistics raise serious questions about a conventionally assumed link between vaccination refusal rates and literacy rates, unveiling widespread misinformed convictions in an otherwise educated region.

The first nationwide polio campaign of 2025 ran from 3rd February till 9th February, vaccinating over 45 million children. However, even after consistent efforts by the Pakistan National Polio Eradication Program, 2 new polio cases have been reported this year in Sindh and Punjab. This leaves Pakistan and Afghanistan as the only countries in the world where wild poliovirus type 1 is still endemic.

A WHO case study identified medical misconceptions as the leading cause for vaccine refusal, followed by religious myths. Most misconceptions are formed due to unsubstantiated claims about children falling ill or even passing away after getting vaccinated – claims officially refuted.

Infertility, impotency and adverse side effects are all wrongly attributed to these vaccines. There have also been incidents regarding local mosques misleadingly labeling polio vaccines as dangerous and calling them a 'Western conspiracy'. While some parents refuse to administer vaccines due to security concerns, particularly in the aftermath of the 2019 Peshawar incident where extremist protesters, provoked by false news, burned down health units.

There is a dire need to organise targeted awareness campaigns and initiatives, such as the Islamic Advisory Group on Polio Eradication, to combat these false beliefs that endanger the lives of innocent children. Releasing statistical reports on our failure to end poliovirus is the first step to creating much-needed urgency, but more robust mechanisms need to be put in place.