Pakistan is one of only two countries in the world where poliovirus is still endemic – the other being neighbours Afghanistan.
To counter the spread of the disease, Pakistan launched an eradication campaign in 1994. The country used to report 20,000 cases annually, according to government health officials. While the figure has come down significantly (five so far this year), the spread continues.
Pakistan administers more than 300 million doses of oral vaccine annually with the help of at least 350,000 vaccinators, according to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme.
Health workers, as well as accompanying security officials, are often harassed, ridiculed, taunted, threatened and targeted physically. At least 102 have been killed in the field, government officials say, including during campaigns carried out this year.
In addition to these attacks and refusals of vaccination, health workers also face other issues, including low pay, salary delays, and tough working conditions. Some told Al Jazeera they are paid as little as 1,360 rupees (approx $5) for an eight-hour day.
Some polio survivors working on the eradication campaign said they receive no transport or health benefits despite their condition, leaving them to walk through tough terrain and demanding weather conditions when carrying out their work.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said there are no “red lights flashing” for the financial system, and reiterated her view that the US economy has reached a
The equity market appears to have succumbed to the growing list of weakening economic data. The major stock indexes fell significantly this week, including on F
The August jobs report marked an improvement from the prior month but failed to quell Wall Street’s recession fears, even with the Federal Reserve poised to s
Former President Donald Trump is holding a rally on Saturday afternoon in Mosinee, Wisconsin, one day after U.S. stocks tumbled following an August jobs report