UN chief and agencies condemn polio workers’ killings in Pak
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 19: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and two UN agencies have condemned the killings of half a dozen people who were on a polio vaccination campaign in Pakistan.
The victims-reportedly five Pakistani women and a man-were shot dead in Karachi and Peshawar.
Pakistan is one of three countries, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria, where polio is still endemic.
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said those killed were among thousands who work selflessly across Pakistan to eradicate polio. “Such attacks deprive Pakistan’s most vulnerable populations – especially children – of basic life-saving health interventions,” they said in a joint statement.
“We call on the leaders of the affected communities and everyone concerned to do their utmost to protect health workers and create a secure environment so that we can meet the health needs of the
At a news briefing here yesterday, UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky said Ban joins WHO and UNICEF in condemning these “senseless and inexcusable” attacks on health workers.
Nesirky also noted that the world body’s chief intends to express his condolences and condemnation of the attacks during a meeting with the Pakistani envoy to the UN.
According to the joint statement, Islamabad and the affected provinces have suspended the vaccination campaign due to concerns over health workers’ safety.
Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that can cause permanent paralysis in a matter of hours. Safe and effective vaccines protect children from the disease. (UNI)
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