44,000 Pakistani Families Refuse Polio Vaccines For Children; Even Taliban Doing Better, Says Minister

Last Updated:April 15, 2025, 12:19 IST

The Health Minister stated that the Taliban is aiding in vaccinating Afghan children against polio, aiming to eliminate the virus in a few years. He urged Pakistanis to ignore misinformation and vaccinate their children

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two nations worldwide where the polio virus remains endemic. (AP File)

Karachi, Pakistan’s economic hub and the capital of the Sindh province, has emerged as the city with the highest number of families refusing polio vaccines. The startling statistics were disclosed by the country’s federal health minister, Mustafa Kamal.

During a press conference in Karachi, Kamal revealed that 85 percent of families in the city refused to administer polio drops to their children during anti-polio campaigns.

Kamal stated that at present, 44,000 families in Pakistan have declined the polio vaccine for their children, with 34,000 of these cases in Karachi alone. This represents a concerning 85 to 90 percent refusal rate. He emphasised the presence of the polio virus in Karachi and the critical importance of vaccination in preventing physical disability among children. “Not vaccinating your children is a crime," Kamal stressed.

The minister highlighted that refusal cases are a significant challenge in Pakistan, while a larger anti-polio vaccination programme is concurrently underway in Afghanistan. This marks the first time that such campaigns are being conducted simultaneously in both countries.

Kamal noted that the Taliban is facilitating the door-to-door vaccination of children in Afghanistan, which is expected to eradicate the virus in a few years. He urged Pakistani citizens to disregard any misinformation and ensure their children receive the polio vaccine to avoid becoming the last country afflicted by polio.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two nations worldwide where the polio virus remains endemic. The virus’s persistence in these countries might be attributable to vaccine hesitancy among some families.

Additionally, polio health workers have been targets of attacks by terrorist groups. Kamal announced that another nationwide polio vaccination campaign will commence on April 21, with at least 415,000 polio workers participating. He called on citizens to respect and cooperate with these workers, who are striving to protect the future of their children.

Karachi, Pakistan

News world 44,000 Pakistani Families Refuse Polio Vaccines For Children; Even Taliban Doing Better, Says Minister