An anti-polio campaign was launched in Quetta and 25 other districts of Balochistan on Monday however the drive could not be initiated in four northern districts due to security threats.
Sources in the Balochistan Health Department said that the campaign could not be launched in Zhob, Loralai, Killa Saifullah and Musakhail due to security threats. Militants in the area had kidnapped eight people in retaliation to a crackdown against them by security forces. They had also killed an official of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after the kidnapping and the remaining persons are still under their custody.
The campaign was launched in Quetta, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar and other districts of Balochistan to eradicate the crippling virus.
Health sources said that around two million children below the age of five years would be administered polio drops during the campaign.
The Balochistan government has constituted 5,706 mobile teams, 693 fixed teams and 274 transit teams to ensure provision of polio drops to children to eradicate the disease from the province.