Polio team comes under attack in Balochistan's Chaman

CHAMAN: A polio team was attacked in Balochistan by the Dharana Committee members, ARY News reported on Monday, quoting DC Chaman.

According to DC Raja Athar Abbas, Dharna Committee participants attacked the polio team in Chaman with sticks that resulted in injuries to four levies personnel, who were deployed to ensure the security of the team during the anti-polio drive.

The attackers tried to snatch the vaccine and weapons from the police and levies personnel, the DC Chaman said and vowed to take action against the people involved in the attack.

Meanwhile, the Balochistan government has also condemned the attack and vowed to register case under terrorism charges against the attackers.

A one-day anti-polio drive is currently underway in selected districts of Pakistan.

During the campaign, anti-polio vaccine is being administered to children under five years of age. Mobile teams of health department are visiting door to door to ensure that no child is left without vaccination.

Pakistan on Saturday reported the fourth poliovirus case of the current year, sources within the Ministry of National Health said.

A 2-year-old boy from Bharkan union council in Sindh’s Shikarpur district became the latest victim.

The health department official said the virus was detected in stool samples collected from a child, adding that he had developed symptoms of paralysis on May 21.