QUETTA: While a recent province-wide polio vaccination campaign in Balochistan achieved 99% of its target, health officials report persistent resistance, with approximately 3,000 parents refusing the vital drops for their children.
The seven-day drive, which ran from December 15 to 21, saw thousands of health workers fan out across the province in an effort to protect children from the debilitating disease. Officials from the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) lauded the high coverage rate as a significant success.
However, the campaign also highlighted an ongoing challenge. “Despite this achievement, incidents of refusal were reported in different districts,” an EOC official confirmed. The collective refusal of around 3,000 parents presents a critical hurdle in the final push for eradication.
Teams are now engaged in follow-up efforts, attempting to counsel and convince these families of the vaccine’s safety and necessity. Polio remains endemic in neighboring Afghanistan and Pakistan, making high vaccination coverage in border provinces like Balochistan essential to prevent outbreaks.
EOC officials have expressed determination to overcome this resistance. “More effective strategies will be adopted in future campaigns to convince the refusing parents,” stated an official, emphasizing the goal of complete polio eradication from the province. The persistence of vaccine hesitancy underscores the need for continued community engagement and trust-building alongside door-to-door vaccination efforts.
Meanwhile in a major push to address civic issues, Administrator of the Metropolitan Corporation Quetta (MCQ), Mujeebur Rehman Qambrani, announced a comprehensive restructuring plan, including handing over sanitation for the entire city to Safaa Quetta within the next 15 days.
Speaking at the Quetta Press Club on Friday, Qambrani stated that following the Chief Minister’s approval, the sanitation contract—previously limited to 58 wards—will be expanded to include all areas, including Kachlak and Arbab Nuhisar. A campaign to lift accumulated garbage will commence immediately, with the goal of clearing the city of historic waste by March. Currently, over 1,300 tons of daily waste are
