Polio worker escapes from abductors’ captivity in Lakki Marwat

A polio worker succeeded in escaping from the captivity of his abductors in Lakki Marwat hours after he was taken away, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.

According to the TV channel, a local Lashkar Chuga Party when informed about the abduction of the polio worker, chased the kidnappers who were taking the abductee on a motorbike. After an exchange of fire in the premises of Sarai Noring Police station, in district Lakki Marwat, Bannu division the abductors managed to flee leaving behind their motorbike and the polio worker.

Police sources maintained that the force personnel had also rushed to the spot.

A sub-national polio eradication six-day campaign launched by Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme has been continuing for vaccination of 34 million children under the age of five in 130 districts across the country. 

Polio eradication campaign was started from 13th August in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Punjab and Sindh, on 15th August in Balochistan, and in AJK the anti-polio campaign will start from 17th August.

The campaign was underway following the resumption of polio activities in July 2020 after a four-month suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

To build immunity amongst susceptible children, vaccinators are going door to door during the campaign to administer the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to children under the age of five, as well as Vitamin A supplements to children who are between 6-59 months of age. 

Dr Faisal Sultan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health said, “It is imperative that Pakistan continues its fight against polio with an already accessible, safe, and widely used vaccine that has saved countless children from polio worldwide. I am hopeful that parents will continue to realize the importance of vaccinating their children during this campaign in August and help our nation ultimately end the threat of polio.”