Polio campaign resumes in Karachi

Polio campaign resumes in Karachi

The anti-polio campaign launched jointly by Pakistan and the United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO), suspended on Tuesday in several areas of Karachi following a gun attack on the vehicle of a WHO doctor, was resumed on Wednesday amid tight
security.

The unprovoked attack allegedly by two Afghans in a locality hostile to polio vaccination resulted in bullet injuries to the foreign doctor and his Pakistani driver. Both were in stable condition.

WHO Chief Coordinator for Polio Eradication in Pakistan Dr Elias Durray told newsmen that the unfortunate incident would not distract Pakistan from the progress it was making this year, as the country was closer than ever to eradication of polio.

Last Monday, the first day of the drive, some hindrance in the immunisation efforts was reported in certain parts of the city inhabited by a multi-ethnic population and considered as one of the high-risk polio areas of Karachi.

The local health officials claimed that certain tribes from northern parts of the country wanted to cause disturbance and terrify field workers, parents and health personnel, but the administration would ensure that all local children up to the age of five
years were administered drops of the vaccine.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah declared that the menace of polio would be eradicated from Sindh by next year.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=29192

Posted by Ahmad Mehdi on Jul 19 2012. Filed under Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry