Parents refusing polio drops will face jail

KARACHI: The parents who refuse to vaccinate their children against polio will have to face jail term and fine as the Sindh government has decided to take strict action against such guardians.

The provincial government authorised deputy commissioners to take action against such parents Under the Sindh Immunization and Epidemic Control Bill 2023.

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The parents who refuse to vaccinate their children will face a fine of 50,000 rupees and a one-month imprisonment.

Parents who refuse to vaccinate their children will be identified by the health department and polio workers who will then take appropriate measures against them in coordination with the police.

In this context, the Sindh police have been instructed to fully cooperate with the health department and polio workers.

Pakistani authorities kicked off a week-long campaign to vaccinate 24 million children against poliovirus in 91 selected districts on Monday.

The campaign is being held in ten districts of Punjab, 24 districts of Sindh, 26 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 30 districts of Balochistan, and the federal capital Islamabad.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where the poliovirus, which causes paralysis and can be a life-threatening disease, is endemic.