CII endorses hundreds of ‘fatwas’ in support of polio vaccination

ISLAMABAD: The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has endorsed hundreds of fatwas in support of polio vaccination. According to Pakistan Polio Programme, the CII’s apex body unanimously decided to ratify ‘fatwas’ by ‘ulema’ in support of polio eradication. The Council was concerned that Pakistan would face increased travel restrictions due the country’s current polio caseload and could face further financial ramifications as a result of these restrictions. CII Chairman Dr. Qibla Ayaz believes that around 30 percent of polio vaccination refusals are made on religious grounds while the remaining 70 percent are for other reasons. “Since 2014, polio vaccine refusals have been increasing on religious basis due to which the polio programme has started getting ‘fatwas’ from religious scholars, madrassahs and even the Al-Azhar University in Cairo to verify that the polio vaccine is not against Islam,” said the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Babar Bin Atta. “This development is anticipated to help reduce the number of refusals and resistance to polio vaccine during the upcoming polio vaccination campaign from November 4, 2019,” he added.