Pakistan launches anti-polio drive as COVID-19 cases rise

A well being employee marks the finger of a kid after receiving the polio vaccine in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Pakistani authorities on Monday launched this yr's first nationwide anti-polio marketing campaign regardless of going through a sudden surge of coronavirus circumstances in an effort aimed eradicating the crippling kids's illness.
  • A health worker marks the finger of a child after receiving the polio vaccine in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Pakistani authorities on Monday launched this year's first nationwide anti-polio campaign despite facing a sudden surge of coronavirus cases in an effort aimed eradicating the crippling children's disease.
  • A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child at a railway station in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Pakistani authorities on Monday launched this year's first nationwide anti-polio campaign despite facing a sudden surge of coronavirus cases in an effort aimed eradicating the crippling children's disease.
  • A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Pakistani authorities on Monday launched this year's first nationwide anti-polio campaign despite facing a sudden surge of coronavirus cases in an effort aimed eradicating the crippling children's disease.
  • A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Pakistani authorities on Monday launched this year's first nationwide anti-polio campaign despite facing a sudden surge of coronavirus cases in an effort aimed eradicating the crippling children's disease.
  • A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child in a slum area of Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Pakistani authorities launched the year's first anti-polio campaign even as coronavirus cases suddenly rise in an effort to eradicate the crippling children's disease.
  • A police officer escorts health workers arriving to administrate polio vaccine in a slum area of Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Pakistani authorities launched the year's first anti-polio campaign even as coronavirus cases suddenly rise in an effort to eradicate the crippling children's disease.
  • A man with a child leaves after polio vaccination of his child at a health center, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. Pakistani authorities launched the year's first anti-polio campaign even as coronavirus cases suddenly rise in an effort to eradicate the crippling children's disease.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani authorities on Monday launched a nationwide anti-polio marketing campaign whilst coronavirus infections surge.

About 150,000 well being staff are collaborating within the five-day, anti-polio drive to inoculate 22.4 million kids underneath age 5, based on a press release issued by Shahzad Beg, the coordinator for polio program. The earlier marketing campaign happened weeks in the past when Pakistan witnessed decline in COVID-19 circumstances.

Authorities hope the newest marketing campaign will assist making Pakistan a polio-free nation.

Final yr, Pakistan reported just one polio case from the nation’s southwestern Baluchistan province. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the one international locations on this planet the place polio stays endemic and the illness may cause partial paralysis in kids.

Pakistan for 25 years has been finishing up common inoculation campaigns by which well being staff go door-to-door to offer the polio drops to kids. A lot of the staff are ladies, as they'll get higher entry to moms and kids.

Pakistani authorities have stepped up safety for polio groups.

Lately, Pakistani militants have focused polio groups and police escorting them, claiming falsely that the anti-polio drive is a part of a Western conspiracy to sterilize kids or acquire intelligence. These assaults elevated after it was revealed that a faux hepatitis vaccination marketing campaign was used as a ruse by the CIA within the hunt for al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden was killed by U.S. commandos in 2011 in Pakistan.

Monday’s newest anti-polio push comes amid a gentle improve in circumstances of coronavirus.

Prior to now 24 hours, Pakistan registered greater than 7,000 COVID-19 circumstances, one of many highest variety of each day infections since June 2020.

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