Polio stays endemic in two nations: Afghanistan and Pakistan.
To counter the unfold of the illness, Pakistan launched an eradication marketing campaign in 1994. The nation used to report 20,000 instances yearly, but whereas the determine has come down considerably (5 to date this yr), the unfold continues.
Pakistan administers greater than 300 million doses of oral vaccine yearly with the assistance of at the very least 350,000 vaccinators, in accordance with the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme.
Well being staff, in addition to accompanying safety officers, are sometimes harassed, ridiculed, taunted, threatened and focused bodily. At the very least 102 have been killed over the previous three a long time, together with in campaigns carried out this yr.
Amid these assaults, and refusals of vaccination, well being staff additionally face low pay, wage delays, and hard working situations. Some instructed Al Jazeera they’re paid as little as 1,360 rupees (approx $5) for an eight-hour day.
Polio survivors engaged on the eradication marketing campaign stated they obtain few transport or well being advantages regardless of their situation, leaving them to stroll by way of robust terrain and demanding climate situations when finishing up their work.
