Over 10.4m children vaccinated during ongoing anti-polio drive

(Web Desk) - Pakistani health authorities have vaccinated over 10.4 million children against poliovirus in seven days as part of an ongoing nationwide drive against the infection, measles and rubella, the National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) said on Tuesday.

Pakistan kicked off its nationwide campaign to vaccinate children against measles, rubella and polio on Nov 17, with the drive expected to vaccinate over 54 million children against the diseases till Nov. 29.

Polio attacks the nervous system and can lead to irreversible paralysis. Pakistan is one of two countries worldwide where the disease remains endemic.

“In the first seven days, over 10.4 million children have received polio drops,” the NEOC said in a statement.

It added that 19.4 million children in total are being given polio drops in 90 high-risk districts across the country.

“Vaccines are being provided at government health centers, schools, madrasas, and temporary vaccination sites,” the statement added.

Giving a breakdown of the numbers, the NEOC said over 3.1 million children have received polio drops in Punjab while in Sindh, over 3.5 million children have been vaccinated against the infection.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, more than 2.4 million children have received polio drops, in Balochistan, over 1 million children have been vaccinated while in the capital Islamabad, more than 192,000 children have been vaccinated in the last seven days.

In the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, more than 77,000 children have been vaccinated against the infection.