Pakistan launches anti-polio drive targeting 44M children

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan is launching its first anti-polio campaign of the year, targeting more than 44 million children under the age of five. It is one of two countries in the world where polio continues to threaten the health and well-being of children. Polio affects the nervous system of children and ultimately leads to paralysis. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif launched the nationwide drive Sunday by administering polio drops to children in the capital, Islamabad. Pakistan has witnessed frequent attacks on polio teams and policemen deployed to protect them. Militants falsely claim that vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.