The year’s first polio campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa got off to a rocky start on Monday after a police constable guarding a vaccination team was shot to death in Sakhipul, Jamrud Tehsil, Khyber district.
The KP government has begun a five-day polio vaccination campaign across the province. The campaign will run from February 3-7 and is aiming to administer the polio vaccine to 6.5 million children.
A total of 40,000 polio vaccination teams have been assembled for the campaign and 50,000 policemen have been deputed to protect them.
Authorities have emphasized the importance of public cooperation in achieving the campaign’s goals.
In Haripur, the campaign has begun across all three tehsils, utilizing 1,143 teams to reach an estimated 205,983 children. Deputy Commissioner Shoaib Abbas confirmed these figures, highlighting the scale of the operation. Police officers are accompanying the vaccination teams to provide protection, a measure confirmed by DPO Farhan Khan.
Bannu district is implementing a five-day campaign overseen by DPO Ziauddin Ahmed. Over 2,500 police officers are deployed, supported by Quick Response Force (QRF) squads, Ababil Force, and mobile units from all police stations. Security briefings have been conducted for personnel at all Basic Health Units (BHUs) by SDPOs and SHOs. Roadblocks and checkpoints are in place at district entry and exit points. The DPO has instructed officers to maintain high vigilance, prioritize the safety of both themselves and the vaccination teams, and to strictly adhere to safety protocols, including the mandatory use of bulletproof helmets and jackets throughout their shifts. Officers are to remain with their assigned teams until their duties are complete.
Swabi district is also conducting a five-day campaign aimed at vaccinating 273,127 children under five. The Deputy Commissioner, Nasirullah, emphasized the importance of public cooperation with polio workers to ensure the success of the vaccination drive. Teams have been instructed to follow a micro-plan for thorough door-to-door vaccination. The district administration is urging residents to actively participate in the campaign by allowing vaccinators access to their children.
Pakistan is one of the last two countries along with Afghanistan where polio is still endemic. The country reported 71 cases of the disease last year. Although the disease is preventable, several factors have contributed to vaccine hesitancy and resistance including religious propaganda and terrorist acts against polio workers and security teams.
