Two killed in attack on Polio vaccination team in Pakistan

On Wednesday, unidentified gunmen attacked a polio vaccination team in northwestern Pakistan, killing one of the vaccinators and a policeman who was escorting them, according to police.

The attack happened in the Bajaur district, near the border with Afghanistan. It occurred just two days after Pakistan began its latest national campaign to eliminate polio, a virus that still poses a threat in the country, even though it is mostly eradicated elsewhere.

District police officer Waqas Rafique reported that armed men fired on the vaccination team while they were working in a subdivision of Bajaur tribal district.

No group has taken responsibility for the attack, but similar incidents in the past have been carried out by Islamist militants who falsely claimed that the vaccination campaigns were part of a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.

Pakistan launched its latest polio vaccination campaign earlier this week, aiming to vaccinate up to 30 million children. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries still struggling to eradicate polio, as noted in the report.

In response to the attack, a local police union has called for a strike by officers and a boycott of security duties for the vaccination campaign in Bajaur district. This action reflects their anger and demands for better protection for their members.

The tragic attack on the polio vaccination team underscores the persistent threats faced by health workers in conflict-prone regions. This incident not only highlights the risks involved in delivering critical healthcare services but also calls for enhanced protection and support for those dedicated to eradicating diseases.

Efforts must be intensified to ensure the safety of healthcare personnel and to uphold the global commitment to ending polio.

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