KARACHI: In a significant move aimed at eradicating infectious diseases, Sindh province in Pakistan has introduced a new law that could see parents who refuse to vaccinate their children facing imprisonment and fines.
The primary target of this legislation is to combat the endemic issue of polio in Pakistan, but it also encompasses vaccines for diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), measles, mumps, and rubella.
The groundbreaking law, the first of its kind in Pakistan, was signed into effect last week and will come into force this month. Under its provisions, parents who resist vaccination for their children may be sentenced to a month in prison and fined 50,000 Pakistani rupees (£130).
Shazia Marri, a former federal minister of poverty alleviation and social safety from Sindh, stated, “This law will be used as a deterrent to end the refusal of vaccination. There have to be some extraordinary measures to ensure this virus [polio] is eradicated from Pakistan.” She emphasized that addressing multiple factors contributing to the persistence of the poliovirus in Pakistan is essential.
According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where polio remains endemic. In recent developments, Pakistan has seen a significant reduction in wild polio cases, with just two cases reported this year compared to 20 in 2022. Notably, no cases have been reported in Sindh province this year.
However, despite these strides, more than 62,000 parents, the majority of whom reside in Sindh province, declined polio vaccinations for their children during the nationwide polio vaccination campaign in January.
Anti-vaccination sentiments in Pakistan are deeply rooted and fueled by misconceptions, including myths perpetuated by clerics that vaccines are part of a Western conspiracy to sterilize Muslim children. In some regions, vaccinators, often women, require security escorts for their safety, and tragically, some health workers have lost their lives in the line of duty.
For many parents like Junaid Khan, a day labourer and father of five from eastern Karachi, the introduction of this law will not sway their beliefs. He asserted, “We don’t trust this vaccine. We see people involved in corruption and other major crimes are roaming free. Why is the government forcing us to vaccinate our children? I will prefer jail over protecting my children from the polio drops.”
While the law has garnered support in the pursuit of public health, legal experts like Osama Malik have raised concerns about its severity. Malik suggested that providing financial incentives to economically disadvantaged and less educated parents might be a more effective approach to encourage vaccination. However, he also acknowledged the dire situation concerning polio in Pakistan, stating that personal liberties must sometimes yield to the broader goal of safeguarding public health.
