Law and order: Polio team attacked in Rahim Yar Khan

A school teacher and a revenue official attacked the vaccination staff

MULTAN:

A polio team was attacked and harassed on Wednesday in Khanpur area of Rahim Yar Khan.

All polio teams halted the vaccination drive in the area for three hours following the incident.

Rahim Yar Khan District Coordination Officer (DCO) Nabeel Javed told The Express Tribune that the incident occurred on the last day of the vaccination campaign.

He said police had arrested a school teacher, Muhammad Ashraf, and a revenue official, Muhammad Shahid, who had had led the attack. He said Ashraf was earlier accused of preaching against the polio vaccination campaign.

Deputy District Health Officer Agha Tauheed said Ashraf and Shahid took a group of 10 men who attacked the polio team in Government Primary School in Chak-17. He said mobile phones of the vaccination team were taken away and some workers were beaten.

He said polio vaccine was taken from them and thrown away. They also hurled death threats at female polio workers.

He said two health workers were injured and fainted, but later resumed work after being given first aid.

He said two FIRs had been registered under Section 186 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code against Ashraf and Shahid.

DCO Javed said he was personally monitoring the polio vaccination campaign.

“The campaign was suspended for a short period but was later resumed,” he said.

He said the catch-up campaign would continue for two days to cover for houses missed by the polio teams.

He said as many as 715,000 children had been vaccinated in the three-day campaign.

He said it was estimated that nearly 45,211 children had missed the polio campaign and would be vaccinated in the catch-up days.

On Tuesday, three people were injured in Gujranwala when a polio team was attacked in the area.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the attack on the polio team and sought a report from the DPO.

He issued instructions for immediate arrest those involved in the attack and action against them under the law.

The chief minister said the injured workers should be provided best medical treatment.

On Tuesday, three people were injured in Gujranwala when a polio team was attacked in the area.

As many as 184 cases of polio were reported in Pakistan this year.

Polio workers have often been targeted in the country, while many parents refuse to let health workers administer polio drops to their children.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2014.