In a troubling turn of events, militants launched attacks on health centers involved in an ongoing anti-polio campaign in northwestern Pakistan. The first incident occurred in Orakzai, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where militants targeted a health center being used for the vaccination campaign. The attack led to a shootout that resulted in the tragic death of a police officer and the killing of three attackers.
Meanwhile, in North Waziristan, another former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, militants stormed a health center, seized weapons from officers, and warned health workers against participating in the anti-polio campaign. The attackers then fled the scene with the confiscated weapons, leaving authorities concerned about the safety of health workers in the region.
These attacks are part of a disturbing trend where militants in Pakistan target police and health workers involved in polio vaccination drives, often citing baseless claims that the campaigns are part of a Western conspiracy to harm children. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries where polio transmission has never been halted, underscoring the challenges faced in eradicating the disease.
In response to a surge in new polio cases, Pakistan recently launched its third nationwide vaccination drive of the year, aiming to vaccinate 45 million children under the age of 5. The country has reported 41 polio cases across multiple provinces, with Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab being the most affected regions.
Across the border in Afghanistan, health authorities have initiated vaccination efforts in 16 out of the country's 34 provinces, targeting 6.2 million children under the age of 5. Afghanistan has recorded 23 confirmed polio cases this year, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive vaccination campaigns.
Amidst these health challenges, security concerns persist in various parts of Pakistan, with insurgents and separatists carrying out attacks on security forces and civilians. In a recent incident in Balochistan, gunmen fatally shot five construction workers tasked with repairing a dam in Banjgur district, further underscoring the volatile security situation in the region.
Efforts to combat polio in Pakistan and Afghanistan continue amidst security threats and logistical challenges, with health workers risking their lives to protect children from this debilitating disease.
