Polio vaccination refusal declines in Mansehra, Torghar.

MANSEHRA -- The number of the polio vaccination refusal cases in Mansehra and adjoining Torghar districts has plunged with the officials attributing it to the involvement of ulema and religious scholars by the Rotary International in the last campaign.

'Before the start of the four-day national immunisation drive in the district, the vaccination refusal cases totalled 957 but the number has now plunged to 34,' district health officer Dr Shahzad Ali Khan told reporters here on Tuesday.

Head of the Rotary resource centre Syed Latif was also present on the occasion.

Dr Shahzad said a seminar of ulema and religious scholars held by the Rotary International on Dec 20 before the four-day anti-polio drive contributed a lot to the drastic reduction in the vaccination refusal incidence.

He said the health teams had vaccinated 99 per cent of the targeted children in the area in the last campaign.

Head of the local Rotary resource centre Syed Latif said the involvement of ulema had drastically reduced vaccination refusal.

He said the religious leaders approached the people opposed to polio vaccination in the district and sensitised them to the benefits of vaccination for their children in light of the teachings of Islam.

UPLIFT PROJECTS: PTI MNA Salah Mohammad Khan has said the ongoing mega projects will ensure the development of Mansehra district.

'The Hazara motorway, whose construction is near completion, will create jobs and other development opportunities not only in...