ASIA/PAKISTAN - Threats and retaliation for health workers involved in vaccination against polio

Peshawar (Agenzia Fides) - Health workers engaged throughout Pakistan in vaccinations against polio continue to find a lot of resistance and suffer threats from parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. Only last week, as part of a campaign aimed at 27 million and 700 thousand children in Pakistan, the authorities arrested 470 parents in the region of Peshawar. The number of confirmed cases increased from 58 in 2012 to 306 in 2014.
Since 2012, 79 health workers or security staff have been killed. Whole areas of the Country have been made off limits to medical personnel by militant groups that threatened them. Among these, the tribal territory of Waziristan, located along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. In these two years a military operation against Taliban insurgents cut off these tribal areas where militants have imposed bans.
The attacks continue, despite the campaigns run by the government to convince people that polio vaccination is essential to keep their children safe. According to official data, since the beginning of 2015 six people have already been killed in four attacks.
The commitment of the government to expand the coverage of polio has been strengthened. During a meeting of experts held in February the need to increase coverage during the winter 'low season' when there is a decrease in the risk of virus transmission was highlighted. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 05/03/2015)