Pakistan’s immunisation gaps are exposing thousands of vulnerable children to risk, especially migrant and displaced populations. The health official cautions on Sep 18 that the number of children living in temporary shelters may not be registered during the vaccination process.
This is aggravated in conflict-prone regions, where vaccinators are occasionally seriously threatened. Three health workers were kidnapped in Tank at the beginning of this month. Health specialists in the country have emphasized that, although Pakistan has achieved milestones in polio eradication and in the routine immunisation efforts, the lost populations pose dangerous loopholes. The activists are pushing towards special outreach and greater protection of frontline workers.