Anti-polio campaign launched in Peshawar

Islamabad: A two-day anti-polio campaign was launched in Pakistan's Peshawar city on Monday amidst tight security.

Over 700,000 children of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province would be administered the oral polio vaccine in 92 union councils of Peshawar, Dawn online reported.

According to the health department, 460 static and 2,955 mobile teams have been formed for the door-to-door anti-polio campaign.

The anti-polio campaign was scheduled for May 28 but it was delayed due to the prevailing security situation.

According to official figures, Pakistan had 306 polio cases in 2014 and majority of them were in the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

So far this year, 24 cases have been reported countrywide.

Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the only countries in the world which are still battling to eradicate polio.