Pakistan postpones polio vaccination drive in southwest after health workers boycotted it

QUETTA, Pakistan -- Pakistani authorities on Wednesday postponed a polio vaccination campaign in the country's restive southern Balochistan province after health workers boycotted it to oppose a proposed privatization of hospitals.

Authorities on Monday launched the final nationwide polio vaccination campaign for the year, aiming to protect 45 million children. According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the potentially fatal, paralyzing virus has not been eradicated.

Anwarul Haq of the National Emergency Operation Center for Polio Eradication, said the polio vaccination campaign in Balochistan was delayed until Dec. 30 for “better preparedness." He provided no further details.

However, other health and government officials said the campaign in Balochistan was postponed after health workers refused to join it and demanded that the government stop plans to privatize state-run hospitals where they work.

Representatives of health workers have also urged the government not to employ unqualified workers to carry out the campaign.

Restive Balochistan has reported the highest number of polio cases, with 26 out of the nationwide 63 confirmed cases since January. The campaign continue until Dec. 22 in other areas in Pakistan.

Pakistan regularly launches campaigns against polio despite attacks on the workers and police assigned to the inoculation drives. Militants falsely claim the vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.

More than 200 polio workers and police assigned for their protection have been killed since the 1990s, according to health officials and authorities.