Abduction of Polio Workers in Pakistan: A Blow to Health Efforts

Two polio vaccinators were abducted at gunpoint in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, by unknown gunmen. The workers, Muhammad Asif and Raz Muhammad, were taken from a bus en route to Dera Ismail Khan. No group has claimed responsibility. Pakistan remains one of the last polio-endemic countries.

In a disturbing development, two polio workers were abducted at gunpoint on Monday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This region has been a focal point for health initiatives tackling polio.

The workers, identified as Muhammad Asif and Raz Muhammad, were forcibly taken from a passenger bus by armed men, while en route from Dera Ismail Khan to Kulachi, highlighting the risk faced by health workers in volatile areas.

Authorities are still in the dark about the perpetrators, as no group has yet claimed responsibility for the abduction. This incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by polio eradication programs in Pakistan, one of the last strongholds of the polio virus.

(With inputs from agencies.)