On Friday, police reported an attack on a polio vaccination team in Korangi district, Karachi, highlighting ongoing violence against healthcare workers in Pakistan. This incident is part of a troubling pattern in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the only countries where polio is still endemic. Vaccination teams often face hostility, sometimes resulting in casualties among workers and security personnel.
During a routine visit to a local family to administer vaccines, both men and women from the household assaulted the polio workers and stole their mobile phones. The altercation resulted in injuries to two police officers and two polio workers.
Following the attack, additional police forces were dispatched to the scene, leading to the arrest of six individuals, including four women involved in the assault. The injured polio workers and officials, who suffered minor injuries, were transported to a hospital for medical treatment.
SSP Korangi detailed that the family had refused the polio vaccination for their children and resorted to violence using sticks.
This year, Pakistan has experienced a significant increase in polio cases, with 64 reported incidents compared to six in the previous year.
Read: Polio Cases Rise to 46 in Pakistan Amid Eradication Challenges
In response, the federal government initiated a four-day polio vaccination campaign on Monday, targeting 143 districts nationwide. Over 400,000 healthcare workers aimed to immunize more than 45 million children above five.
Read: Nationwide Anti-Polio Campaign Launches in Pakistan
Polio prevention involves just a few drops of an oral vaccine. Yet, health workers continue to face significant risks in their efforts to eradicate this disease, with many losing their lives over the years.
Read: Policeman Killed, Polio Worker Injured on Vaccination Team in Karak
