Legal action for parents, teachers who refuse polio vaccination for children

Three polio cases have so far been reported from Balochistan this year, one each from Quetta, Qila Abdullah & Loralai

QUETTA: The Balochistan government has decided to enact a law enabling law enforcement agencies to take action against parents and heads of educational institutions refusing the administration of anti-polio drops to children.

Confirming the news, Secretary Health Balochistan Noorul Haq Baloch said his department had proposed a law under which parents and heads of schools and religious seminaries will not only be held responsible for the refusal of anti-polio vaccination but action will also be taken against them.

“It will not be a criminal act,” he said. “Parents will face legal action upon refusal of anti-polio drops [to their children].”

Read: Fresh disclosures set off alarm bells in Balochistan

Balochistan has been facing problems in carrying out the anti-polio drive in Quetta block, comprising Quetta, Pishin and Qila Abdullah districts. Besides refusal from families, polio workers have also been attacked in the area.

However, in a recent conference, it was found that mismanagement and delay in payment of frontline workers were the reasons rather than security and refusals.

According to sources in Emergency Operation Center (EOC) set up for implementing the National Emergency Plan regarding polio eradication, it was decided to take stern action against families refusing anti-polio vaccines to their children.

“In every campaign, about 21,000 children are missed for various reasons, including refusal from parents,” an official said, adding that “It is time to take action.”

Three polio cases have so far been reported from Balochistan this year, one each from Quetta, Qila Abdullah and Loralai.

Meanwhile, environment samples of poliovirus from Quetta and Qila Abdullah were found positive, ringing alarms for the provincial health department and donor agencies.