In Pakistan, 215,119 parents declined to vaccinate their children against polio during the most recent immunisation round.
More than 215,119 incidents of rejection were documented, whereas 1,54,736 parents were persuaded to vaccinate their children, according to reports.
In Sindh, 1,36,707 parents declined immunisation, whilst 56,252 parents declined in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 19,654 parents declined in Balochistan, compared to 1,502 in Punjab. 1,004 parents declined vaccinations in Islamabad.
It should be mentioned that the Sindh government has vowed to take harsh action against parents who refuse to vaccinate their children against polio, and they may face jail time and fines.
The Sindh Immunisation and Epidemic Control Bill 2023 grants deputy commissioners the authority to prosecute such parents on behalf of the provincial government.
Parents who choose not to vaccinate their children risk a fine of fifty thousand rupees and a month in jail. In cooperation with the police, the health department and polio workers will identify parents who refuse to vaccinate their children and take necessary action against them.
The Sindh police have been directed to collaborate completely with the health department and polio workers in this regard.
Pakistan had earlier announced the country’s fifth case of the year’s poliovirus, according to Ministry of National Health sources.
A two-year-old girl from Quetta, Balochistan, is the most recent instance; she tested positive for wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1).
There are only two nations where the spread of polio has never been stopped: Pakistan and its neighbour Afghanistan.
