“The refusal cases have now dropped to 45 from 840. Efforts are now on to convince the remaining parents,” said provincial member of the foundation Maulana Syed Jahanzeb while speaking at a news conference here on Friday.

He said they visited different villages of the FR Peshawar along with anti-polio teams to persuade the parents who were unwilling to get their kids immunised against the crippling disease.

Syed Jahanzeb said some 62 influential people of the area also assured providing support to the anti-polio campaign. He said meetings were also held with around 22 religious scholars and teachers of 36 schools who pledged support to the anti-polio drive. He said the parents unwilling to have wards inoculated would be convinced with the help of the religious scholars.