Polio cases surge in Balochistan linked to fake vaccinations

QUETTA: The sudden rise in polio cases in Balochistan has been attributed to a disturbing revelation that children are being falsely marked as vaccinated without receiving the actual polio drops, ARY News reported on Friday.

This malpractice, coupled with other significant challenges, has led to the reemergence of the polio virus in the region after 28-months.

In a briefing to senior journalists, officials from Balochistan’s Emergency Operation Center for anti-polio efforts disclosed that in sensitive areas such as Quetta, Pishin, Chaman, and Qila Abdullah, polio workers have been caught marking children’s fingers as if they had been vaccinated, without actually administering the drops.

This year alone, 12 polio cases have been reported in Balochistan, with the first 8 months seeing a surge.

Alarmingly, three of the children affected by the virus have died, raising concerns that the polio virus could be the cause of their deaths.

Experts and authorities are also highlighting additional challenges, including the inaccessibility of polio teams in certain areas due to security concerns, issues with transportation along the Pak-Afghan border, and difficulties in ensuring that all children are vaccinated.

It is worth mention here that the deadly virus has now spread to 20 districts across Balochistan.

In response to the situation, the Emergency Operation Center is revising its strategy to better tackle these challenges.