Islamabad, April 14 : Pakistan's economic hub and Sindh's provincial capital Karachi has emerged on top of the list of Pakistani cities refusing to administer polio vaccines with families declining to get their children immunized with polio drops during anti-poliovirus campaigns. The worrying figures were revealed by the country's Federal Minister of Health Mustafa Kamal, who said 85 per cent of the families, who refused to get their children immunized with poliovirus vaccine drops, reside in Karachi.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Kamal revealed that at least 44,000 families in Pakistan have refused to vaccinate their children with poliovirus vaccine drops.

"At this moment, in Pakistan, there are 44,000 refusals, with 34,000 in Karachi alone. This is a figure of 85 to 90 per cent. I want to tell everyone in Pakistan that polio exists in Karachi but the reason why people are not being affected is because of prevention. Since the virus is everywhere, if children aren't vaccinated for whatever reasons and contract the virus, they will grow up physically disabled. People from all walks of life will tell you to not give them the drops, but I am here to convince you that not getting your children immunized is criminal," he said.

Kamal highlighted that while refusal cases in Pakistan stand as a major challenge, Afghanistan, where the anti-polio vaccination drive is going on in parallel to Pakistan, has a much more comprehensive programme.

"This is the first time that a simultaneous polio vaccination campaign is happening in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Taliban are sending teams door-to-door to vaccinate children ' their programme is more comprehensive than ours. Afghanistan is vaccinating children and they will eradicate the virus within a few years. God forbid if we remain the only country in the world with polio. Please ignore any propaganda and administer polio drops to your children," urged Kamal.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only countries in the world where the polio virus still exists. One of the reasons for the presence of the virus is the refusal of the majority of the people to have their children vaccinated. Polio health workers have also been victims of targetted killings and attacks by militant groups, who have opposed anti-polio campaigns in the country.

Kamal announced that another nationwide polio vaccination drive will start from April 21, in which at least 415,000 polio workers will participate. He urged citizens to respect and cooperate with them.

"Please respect them as they are trying to protect the future of your children," he urged.

/IANS