Two polio vaccinators abducted in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Peshawar, Sep 30 (PTI) Two vaccinators were abducted by unidentified armed men while administering oral polio vaccine to children in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday in the Manchi area of Tank district.

Police said the armed men intercepted the team and abducted its leader and vaccinator.

The district administration and police have launched efforts to trace the two men and secure their safe release, officials said.

Polio vaccination teams have repeatedly faced security threats in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in districts bordering Afghanistan, where militancy has complicated efforts to eradicate the crippling disease.

In April, a police constable was killed, and four others were injured when a police team providing security to polio workers came under attack in Hangu district.

As per official data, since 2012, 27 health workers and 61 policemen have been killed in violence linked to polio vaccination campaigns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

During the same period, 32 health workers, three civilians and one policeman were kidnapped, it said.

A recent study has documented hundreds of violent incidents associated with polio immunisation activities in Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Pakistan accounting for the largest share of deaths and injuries.

The World Health Organisation has also warned that insecurity, particularly in Pakistan's border areas, continues to threaten vaccination workers and disrupt campaigns.

Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and, in some cases, death. It can, however, be prevented through safe and effective polio vaccines.