LAHORE: Polio teams faced attacks at two locations in Lahore during the recent national anti-polio campaign, raising safety concerns for health workers despite vaccination success across the country.
In Harbanspura, eight people, including three women, reportedly assaulted a door-to-door polio team. Team leader Nadeem Ashraf and his staff were attacked, with police filing a case at Harbanspura police station.
In another incident in Shahdara’s Chaman Colony, polio workers were reportedly attacked by a woman and her children. A case was filed at Shahdara police station based on the complaint of polio in-charge Arifa Tahir. Despite the incidents, polio drops were successfully administered in both areas. Authorities stressed strict action against such attacks, emphasizing their impact on public health efforts.
The first national anti-polio campaign of 2026 concluded successfully. According to the National Emergency Operation Center, over 44.3 million children were vaccinated nationwide, including 22.9 million in Punjab, 15 million in Sindh, 7.13 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 2.36 million in Balochistan. Additionally, 455,000 children in Islamabad, 261,000 in Gilgit-Baltistan, and 673,000 in Azad Kashmir received vaccinations.
Health officials highlighted the threats posed by violence against polio workers and urged public cooperation to protect health teams and eradicate the virus completely.
