PESHAWAR: At least 700 schoolchildren fell sick after polio vaccination in Peshawar causing an attack on a hospital in city by angry mob, ARY News reported on Monday.
An angry mob resorted to rioting at Mashokhel Hospital in Badha Beer area of Peshawar after several children allegedly fell sick after being administered polio vaccine.
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A heavy contingent of police reached to the spot and controlled the unrest.
A mob of the infuriated people staged protest in front of the hospital and damaged the property after reports of several children fell sick after polio vaccination. The protesters broke down the compound wall of the hospital and set the building on fire. A gas cylinder also exploded after the blaze incident.
A heavy contingent of police rushed to the hospital and overcome the lawless situation. SSP Operations Peshawar has said that the legal action will be taken against the people involved in the rioting incident
A spokesperson of Hayatabad Medical Complex has said that the children from Primary School No. 1 Mashokhel brought to the hospital with complaints of vomiting and dizziness are now in stable condition.
A school teacher said that after administration of anti-polio drops the children suffered vomiting and dizziness.
Read more: Health Minister Pechuho inaugurates anti-polio campaign in Sindh
According to earlier reports over 100 children suffering from dizziness were brought to the City Hospital, while 20 others to another hospital. The number, however, later rocketed to around 700 children complaining vomiting and dizziness brought to the medical facilities of Peshawar, hospital sources said.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Farman has called a report from the provincial health minister and ordered an inquiry into the incident.
A countrywide campaign to administer anti-polio drops to children under five years of age started today.
National Coordinator of Polio Eradication Programme Dr Rana Safdar told Radio Pakistan Islamabad that the anti-polio drive will target 39 million children in all four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan region.
