Balochistan: Parents urged to get kids vaccinated against polio
Manan Khan :
QUETTA: Speakers at an awareness seminar urged parents to get their kids vaccinated against the poliovirus in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan. Political, religious leaders, tribal elders, and people belonging to various walks of life participated in the seminar.
“Parents have to administer polio drops to their children”, Qari Anwar ul Haq Haqqani, a well-known religious scholar said. He urged the religious scholars to play their due role in creating awareness among the parents.
Quetta, Pishin and Killa Abdullah districts prone to the crippling virus
In Balochistan’s Quetta, Killa Abdullah, and Pishin districts, thousands of parents have been refusing polio drops to their children. The three districts declared as the most sensitive districts in terms of the crippling virus.
“Committees formed to convince the parents refusing polio drops to kids”, Dr. Asia Bano, the deputy district polio lead said. She said parents have to ensure the provision of polio drops to their children in the upcoming anti-polio campaign.
The virus exists despite repeated campaigns
Despite repeated campaigns, the virus is yet to be eradicated. Health department sources revealed the number of chronic refusals in Killa Abdullah, Pishin, and Quetta is in the thousands. The government in collaboration with UNICEF has formed committees comprising veteran religious scholars to convince the parents to ensure the provision of polio drops to kids.
Anti-polio campaign to be launched at the end of this month
The anti-polio campaign would be launched in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan at the end of this week. The health department, UNICEF, and other concerned quarters have evolved a strategy to make the campaign a success. “Quetta, Killa Abdullah, and Pishin are our main focus”, Ahmed Zaman Jamali, the District Health Officer (DHO) said.
In 2020, Balochistan had reported 26 cases of the crippling virus. Most of the cases reported from the Quetta, Killa Abdullah, and Pishin districts of Balochistan. During the current year 2021, one case reported from the Killa Abdullah district of Balochistan so far.
