Pakistan launches anti-polio drive amid rise in Covid-19 cases

Pakistan launched a five-day anti-polio vaccination drive on Monday, despite challenges by the deepening third wave of the coronavirus across the country.

Around 285,000 frontline workers, respecting COVID-19 safety protocols, will go door-to-door in all 156 districts across Pakistan to give polio drops, according to an official statement.

It said that over 40 million children under the age of five will be given anti-polio vaccine during the campaign that aims to raise the immunity of children that remain at risk of the crippling disease.

It is an absolute must that all our eligible children stay protected against vaccine preventable diseases including polioIt's every Pakistani's national duty to ensure that your own children, as well as those around you, are administered polio vaccine without fail, said Dr. Faisal Sultan, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health.

Dr Shahzad Baig, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre, Polio Eradication Initiative (PE