Minister of State for National Health Services Mukhtar Ahmad Malik informed the National Assembly that 75 children who had been vaccinated against polio have still contracted the disease.
Addressing lawmakers during the session chaired by Deputy Speaker Syed Mir Ghulam Mustafa Shah, he assured that a special investigation and response campaign would be launched.
The minister also announced plans for a new 1,100-bed hospital in Islamabad’s I-11 sector, with construction set to begin in April. If completed on schedule, the hospital will be operational by August 2027. Additionally, eight new Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Community Health Centers (CHCs) will be established to ease pressure on major hospitals.
A specialized Stroke Intervention Centre is being developed in the public sector for the first time in Islamabad, alongside a 200-bed emergency hospital expected by June 2025 and a 200-bed cancer hospital by June 2026.
During the session, MPA Sharmila Faruqi revealed that Pakistan Railways has recorded 537 accidents in five years, with human error responsible for 217. Minister of State for Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani assured improvements in safety and the restoration of key train services.
Additionally, discussions highlighted the increasing tax burden on salaried individuals, with FBR reporting a 26% rise in tax collection. The National Assembly session was later adjourned indefinitely.
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Polio vaccine used in Pakistan is live vaccine and the issue with this is that there is a chance host may contract polio virus through the vaccine if the immunity is compromised. In developed world, live vaccine is not used, rather they use IPTV which is inactivated and has zero chance of giving polio.
Also in Pakistan, polio vaccine is given like candy to children, doesn’t matter if you received it two days ago, if they see your child they will force you to take the drops or else face jail, and claim there is no harm in repeated vaccination even if it’s few days apart. Whether you go to the mall, the airport, park or any other place, they force you to take the vaccine every time.