Pakistan - Polio workers refuse to vaccinate Khyber kids

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Polio workers in some parts of Khyber Agency on Monday refused to vaccinate children at the start of a three-day drive with at least 116,000 children likely to be vaccinated in the tribal region.

The workers in some parts of Khyber refused to carry on with the drive over non-payment of stipends from the previous three campaigns, sources said.

Workers in some areas of Landi Kotal and Jamrud have also refused to conduct the vaccination drive, citing non-payment of their previous dues.

On the other hand, authorities said that the released funds had been embezzled at the local level, adding that the matter was being investigated. Dr Sarfaraz Afridi, coordinator for the polio vaccination drive in Khyber Agency, said that the funds had been released but fraudulently withdrawn at the local level. He added that the political administration and authorities concerned have been asked to probe into the matter.

Two days earlier, another polio case had been reported in Khyber in 18-month-old girl from the Akakhel area of Bara.

The government’s failure to reach out to unvaccinated children has already taken up the total number of polio cases in Khyber to 46. Khyber also has the highest number of reported polio cases after the restive North Waziristan Agency. Moreover, a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report said Pakistan was responsible for nearly 80 percent of polio cases reported globally.