University students perspective on polio vaccination--ruse or realistic need for Pakistani children?
Shaikh, M.Ali.; Kamal, A.; Naqvi, I.
Jpma. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association 64(6): 694-696
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 0030-9982 PMID: 25252493 Document Number: 673509
Polio vaccinators and law enforcement officials protecting them, have been killed in the line of duty since 2012 in Pakistan. This study was conducted to determine the opinions of university students in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, regarding the importance of polio vaccination, and the role of international donor agencies. Nine hundred forty-six students participated in this study; 833 (88.1%) students thought that polio is a public health problem in the country, and 815 (86.2%) thought that polio vaccination prevents polio in children. About a quarter of respondents thought that Pakistanis as well as non-Pakistanis working for either international nongovernmental organizations or United Nations agencies are spies working for the Western governments or their spy agencies. An appalling 300 (31.7%) respondents replied as either affirmatively or 'don't know' to the question whether killing of polio vaccinators is justified.