SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
Every year Pakistan reports over 50 polio cases. According to a global update for polio cases, Pakistan had 58 cases last year while Nigeria had 110 and Afghanistan 31. Six cases this year have been reported in Pakistan’s Punjab province, six in Sindh, and 10 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. But by far the bulk of the infections, 50, were in the lawless northwestern tribal areas. According to tribune “Two more polio cases surfaced on Wednesday, one each from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). Meanwhile, over 30,000 children were not accessed in the past two days during ongoing vaccination campaigns.” Though Pakistan has launched several massive drives against polio yet it could not achieve the target this year the number of children who were missed was likely to cross 40,000.
Opposition from militant groups in Pakistan has hampered efforts to immunize children, with vaccination teams murdered in some cases. Officials said the violence and suspicions about the vaccine were the reason for the increase in cases. The Pakistani Taliban banned vaccinations in the Waziristan region last year, alleging the campaign was a cover for espionage. Government needs to focus on this issue and seek international help to get rid of this disease and secure its news generations from crippling.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
