KARACHI: Pakistan’s southern Sindh province will hold an anti-polio vaccination drive from Dec. 16 till Dec. 22, provincial health authorities said on Saturday, with the nationwide tally reaching 63 this year.

Poliovirus, which can cause crippling paralysis particularly in young children, is incurable and remains a threat to human health as long as it has not been eradicated. Immunization campaigns have succeeded in most countries and have come close in Pakistan, but persistent problems remain.

This year, the South Asian country’s polio program has confirmed 26 polio cases in Balochistan, 18 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 17 in Sindh, and one each in Punjab and the federal capital of Islamabad.

The upcoming vaccination drive in Sindh will target 10.6 million children under the age of five years to protect them from the debilitating poliovirus, according to the Sindh health department.

“Over 80,000 frontline workers will participate in the campaign, going door-to-door to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated,” it said in a statement. “To provide a secure environment for these efforts, 15,000 security personnel will be deployed across Sindh.”

The health department noted that the province had reported 17 cases of the virus this year, which highlighted the urgent need for effective vaccination campaigns.

“The situation remains critical, with most environmental samples testing positive for the virus, indicating ongoing circulation,” it said.

“This is the last campaign of the year, making it imperative that every child is vaccinated to stop the transmission of the virus and protect them from a lifetime of disability.”

Parents and caregivers were urged to cooperate with vaccination teams and ensure that their children receive the polio vaccine.

For those who miss the vaccination during the campaign, the Emergency Operations Center’s Sehat Tahaffuz Helpline 1166 or WhatsApp Helpline 0346-7776546 is available to provide assistance and information, the health department added.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries in the world where the poliovirus remains endemic. Public health studies in Pakistan have shown that a lack of knowledge about vaccines, together with poverty and rural residency, are also factors that commonly influence whether parents vaccinate their children against polio.

Riyadh: Saudi authorities arrested 18,489 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

According to an official report, a total of 11,358 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 4,994 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 3,479 for labor-related issues.

The report showed that among the 1,303 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 60 percent were Ethiopian, 38 percent Yemeni, and 2 percent were of other nationalities.

A further 173 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 25 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.

The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.

Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.