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Balochistan Health Department Uncovers Polio Vaccination Fraud

Officials from the Balochistan Health Department revealed that some parents secretly colluded with polio workers to avoid giving polio drops to their children while still having their fingers marked.  In response, the department took action against over 500 workers involved in this fraudulent vaccination practice.

Balochistan, which had remained polio-free for two years, has once again found itself under threat as 12 children in the province have been affected by the poliovirus in the past eight months. The provincial health department has raised serious concerns over this alarming situation.

Balochistan Emergency Operation Center Coordinator Inamul Haque identified migration and parental refusal as significant challenges hindering polio eradication efforts in the province. He also pointed out that the rise in cases is partly due to fake vaccination campaigns. Tragically, three children affected by polio have died.

Provincial officials have raised concerns that the rising number of polio cases is also increasing the risk of child fatalities. Dr. Aftab Kakar, the Polio Campaign Technical Officer, announced that in response to the sudden surge in cases, the health department will initiate a special anti-polio campaign across Balochistan starting September 9.

In a related news, a 29-month-old child from Sindh’s Hyderabad district has been paralyzed by the poliovirus, health authorities reported on Friday. This new case raises Pakistan’s total number of polio cases to 16 for the year.

The virus was confirmed by the regional reference lab at the National Institute of Health (NIH), as stated by the country’s polio eradication program.

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Published by
Arsalan Khattak