Concern over postponing anti-polio campaign in Balochistan

0
162

The people of Balochistan belonging to different walks of life have expressed grave concern over postponement of polio campaign in three districts of the province.
It should be mentioned that 3-day anti-polio campaign, set to start from Monday has been postponed in Quetta, Pishin and Qila Abdullah over security threats.
The provincial health ministry’s decision came after firing and killings of anti-polio vaccinators in Karachi and Peshawar.
The anti polio teams were scheduled to vaccinate polio drops to 700,000 children in these three districts of Balochistan but now they will not get anti-polio vaccine till the next date after making appropriate security arrangements.
Many areas of Quetta are sensitive and anti-polio teams could be attacked there, authorities fear. One anti-polio vaccinator, Imran, was shot dead on October 16 this year in an area near Eastern By-pass.
Some unknown miscreants have wall-chalked anti-polio slogans in the outskirts of Quetta.
The citizens have urged the provincial government to assure security to polio vaccination teams instead of canceling the drive.