With the number of polio cases going up to 59 this year, Pakistan has decided to focus on the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). A three-day anti-polio drive began on Monday at the Bajaur Agency.Health department officials, tribal elders and religious leaders apart from World Health Organisation officials were present at the launch. With polio teams under threat from the Taliban, women health workers were not part of immunisation teams. About 628 health teams will target 223,680 children in the agency.
A large number of children in Pakistan do not have access to immunisation and the North and South Waziristan Agencies are the worst affected.
