In Old City, They Drive Away Polio Team

According to this article, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of polio cases reported in Uttar Pradesh, India. This increase is occurring despite a mass vaccination campaign being carried out across the city.

According to the article, immunisation volunteers are being refused and turned away because of the belief by many people that immunisation will harm their children. The article cites two specific examples where volunteers have been turned away. In one case, a parent refused to allow his 4 year-old child to be immunised because of the recent death of his one year-old daughter, which he believed to be related to the polio drops.

In another example, a parent refused vaccination for his 2 year-old daughter because he believed that the immunisation team should work to clean up and develop the area rather than administer the drops to children. According to the article, the clean up of local areas and slums is a common suggestion made to immunisation team volunteers.