In the provinces of Pakistan, parents who do not want to vaccinate their children can be jailed
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In Pakistan, parents will be jailed for refusing to vaccinate their children against polio, an epidemic the country has not yet overcome. A new law in Sindh province introduces “emergency measures” to ensure children are vaccinated against a range of infectious diseases, The Guardian reports. Parents who do not allow their children to be vaccinated can receive a month in prison and a fine of 50,000 Pakistani rupees ($163). The country is trying to eradicate polio, which is endemic in Pakistan, but the law will also cover diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps and rubella vaccines. The law will take effect this month. Photo: Ysr Dora/GettyImages According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries where polio is endemic. Pakistan has reported 2 cases of wild polio this year, compared to 20 in 2022. No cases have been reported in Sindh province so far this year. However, more than 62,000 parents, most of whom live in Sindh province, refused polio vaccinations for their children during the nationwide vaccination campaign in January this year. Anti-vaccination sentiment in Pakistan has deep roots. Some members of the Islamic faith spread the myth that vaccines are a “Western conspiracy” to make Muslim children infertile. In some areas, medics who administer vaccinations have to be accompanied by security guards. There were even cases of doctors being killed. We will remind you that poliomyelitis is an acute infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, which spreads from person to person through feces and saliva. The disease cannot be cured, but it can be prevented by vaccination. Poliomyelitis has various consequences and can lead to paralysis and death. For example, in 2021, a 1.5-year-old child from the Rivne region was paralyzed due to polio. The parents refused to vaccinate the baby because of religious beliefs. Later, poliomyelitis was discovered in a 2-year-old boy from Transcarpathia, who also had his lower limbs removed. After that, in January 2022, the Ministry of Health decided to vaccinate all children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years who had not been vaccinated against polio. Read also: Worth knowing. 7 questions and answers about polio vaccination and fatalities
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