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2013: 95pc KPK kids vaccinated, 16 polio campaigners slain
January 10, 2014
Nader Buneri
PESHAWAR - The last year of 2013 was horrific for the anti-polio efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where at least 16 polio campaigners, including eight security personnel, were killed and 17 others were injured in attacks in various parts of the province.
From the last several years the government with help of World Health Organisation and religious parties? leaders have been engaged in making hectic efforts to clear confusion and propaganda about the polio vaccine to reduce refusal cases in KPK and FATA, but the attacks on polio teams were the main hurdle in the way of this immunisation campaign.
However, in this year 95 per cent children in 25 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been vaccinated which resulted in decrease of numbers of polio cases from 27 in 2012 to 10 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the overall figurers have increased from 58 in 2012 to 77 this year in Pakistan.
A recent decree issued by a prominent leader and head of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S) Maulana Samiul Haq, urged parents to immunise their children against polio and other life-threatening diseases and said vaccinations were compliant with Sharia.
But religious party leader and Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf Chairman Imran Khan?s personal involvement has not stopped the targeting of polio workers and security personnel and a polio supervisor Ghalif Khan killed in Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber Agency in December 21 was the latest example in FATA while one medical practitioner and polio vaccinator along with two medical assistants were targeted in Mattni Civil Hospital where one succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital...
2013: 95pc KPK kids vaccinated, 16 polio campaigners slain
January 10, 2014
Nader Buneri
PESHAWAR - The last year of 2013 was horrific for the anti-polio efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where at least 16 polio campaigners, including eight security personnel, were killed and 17 others were injured in attacks in various parts of the province.
From the last several years the government with help of World Health Organisation and religious parties? leaders have been engaged in making hectic efforts to clear confusion and propaganda about the polio vaccine to reduce refusal cases in KPK and FATA, but the attacks on polio teams were the main hurdle in the way of this immunisation campaign.
However, in this year 95 per cent children in 25 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been vaccinated which resulted in decrease of numbers of polio cases from 27 in 2012 to 10 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the overall figurers have increased from 58 in 2012 to 77 this year in Pakistan.
A recent decree issued by a prominent leader and head of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S) Maulana Samiul Haq, urged parents to immunise their children against polio and other life-threatening diseases and said vaccinations were compliant with Sharia.
But religious party leader and Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf Chairman Imran Khan?s personal involvement has not stopped the targeting of polio workers and security personnel and a polio supervisor Ghalif Khan killed in Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber Agency in December 21 was the latest example in FATA while one medical practitioner and polio vaccinator along with two medical assistants were targeted in Mattni Civil Hospital where one succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital...