The highest number of refusal cases was reported from Karachi, where more than 34,000 parents declined to vaccinate their children against the crippling disease.

The anti-polio campaign was conducted from September 1 to 7 in Sindh, with a target of vaccinating 2.1 million children in Karachi alone.

Health authorities have expressed serious concern over the high number of refusals, particularly in urban centres like Karachi, warning that such resistance could pose serious risks to the government’s polio eradication efforts.

Authorities have launched efforts to persuade communities to get their children vaccinated by addressing misinformation surrounding the vaccine.