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Attacks were reported Monday in Bannu, Wednesday in Buner and Thursday in Quetta. A polio vaccinator and two policemen were killed.
Public health experts believe that these attacks exacerbate what is already one of the most intractable threats to public health in the world.
International NGOs and Pakistani authorities have worked hard to dispel rumors and vaccinate children in recent years. More than 20 million children were vaccinated in March this year, according to Pakistani authorities.
But the omnipresence of smart phones and the spread of social media have made it difficult to put an end to misinformation about polio eradication.
This week has been a telling example.
On Monday, students had a bad reaction to the spread of the polio vaccine like wildfire in the city of Peshawar, in the north of the country.
"People rushed to the speakers of neighboring mosques, forbidding people to stop polio vaccines.They also suggested taking their children to the hospital immediately because of the material "toxic" has been added to the vaccine, "Deputy Police Commissioner Muhammad Ali Asghar said. told CNN.
Following this information, at least 25,000 students sought medical badistance, said provincial health minister Hisham Inamullah.
Not a child had report-related symptoms, had an illness or died after receiving the vaccine, Inamullah said.
Disseminate "false news"
Yasmine Rashid, Minister of Public Health of Pakistan's Punjab province, said the developments this week have shown that the country has to make a "concerted effort" to fight polio.
"Creating fears and spreading" false news "about polio vaccines can serve personal interests, but it is a major blow (to our country)," she said.
Poliomyelitis mainly affects young children. Fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiff neck and limb pain are all symptoms of the disease, which can also cause permanent paralysis.
The virus can be easily prevented by vaccination, but there is no cure once contracted.
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