ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Deadly violence against polio vaccination workers and their police escorts in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has claimed 20 lives and injured 53 others this year alone, health officials report.
Since 2012, these targeted attacks have resulted in the deaths of 112 people and left more than 300 injured, highlighting the persistent dangers faced by health workers in the country.
Among this year’s victims were 16 police officers, three vaccination workers, and one civilian. The deadliest attack of the year occurred in the tribal district of Bajaur, where Dr. Abdul Rehman, a father of 10, and six police officers were killed in a roadside bombing.
A climate of fear and operational challenges
The attacks, often carried out by assailants on motorcycles, have targeted vaccination teams and their police escorts, creating an atmosphere of fear among health workers. In some cases, health workers, concerned for their safety, have allowed parents to falsely mark children’s fingers to indicate they have been vaccinated, undermining the integrity of vaccination campaigns.
Health officials warn that these fraudulent practices impede efforts to eradicate polio, as they prevent accurate tracking of vaccinated and unvaccinated children.
Despite promises from authorities to improve security and provide compensation to the families of victims, many health workers remain reluctant to join vaccination efforts in the volatile southern regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Rising polio cases and renewed efforts
The resurgence of polio in Pakistan has added urgency to vaccination campaigns. A new case in Jacobabad has brought the total number of polio cases in the country this year to 64.
Of these cases, 26 were reported in Balochistan, 18 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 18 in Sindh, and two in Punjab and Islamabad. The rise in cases marks the re-emergence of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), a significant setback in Pakistan’s fight against the disease.
In response, a nationwide vaccination drive has been launched across 143 districts, aiming to immunize over 44 million children under the age of five.
Pakistan remains one of the few countries where polio continues to circulate, posing a major public health challenge. The vaccination campaigns are part of a broader effort to eradicate the disease and protect future generations.
However, the ongoing attacks on vaccination teams underscore the urgent need for stronger security measures and enhanced coordination between local authorities and health workers to ensure the safety and success of these critical campaigns.
