Stray dog attacks put polio workers at risk

Two female vaccinators mauled in Korangi and Malir as authorities warn of rising canine menace

KARACHI:

Two female polio workers were mauled by stray dogs during polio vaccination drives in Korangi and Malir on Saturday.

According to District Health Officer Dr Shah Muhammad Sheikh, the first incident occurred in Korangi's Zaman Town when the polio worker, identified as Kinza Fatima, was administering polio drops to a child. The canine bit her on the leg, causing injuries and spreading panic among nearby polio workers.

Dr Sheikh immediately rushed to the scene and took the injured worker to Indus Hospital, where she received anti-rabies injections.

Speaking to reporters, the DHO expressed concern over the growing number of stray dogs in Korangi, saying that additional teams have been deployed to safeguard polio vaccinators during the ongoing inoculation campaign.

Residents in the area have reportedly been living in fear due to the increasing presence of stray dogs, highlighting the need for measures to control the issue.

According to a spokesperson for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), the second incident took place in Malir where another woman polio vaccinator was bitten by a stray dog while she was vaccinating children in the locality.

According to medical experts, ignoring dog bites can be dangerous. After a bite, the wound should be washed under running water with soap for 15 minutes, and anti-rabies vaccination should be administered immediately. Otherwise, the bite could lead to rabies, a deadly disease.