Pakistan deploys army to help combat polio

Country launches major immunisation campaign, ordering soldiers to protect health workers in troubled areas.

Pakistan’s prime minister says the country is on a war footing to deal with the spread of polio and the army has been called in to help.

The World Health Organisation has asked Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria to ensure that all residents and long-term visitors are vaccinated for polio before travelling abroad. The WHO says the disease has been diagnosed in 10 countries.

This year there have been 74 registered cases of polio worldwide and 59 of them have come from Pakistan.

Al Jazeera’s Nicole Johnston explains.

Source: Al Jazeera