WAZIRABAD/QUETTA: In a heartbreaking incident in flood-affected Wazirabad, three newborns died after their mother was unable to receive timely medical assistance, rescue officials confirmed on Sunday.
According to officials, the mother gave birth to triplets — two girls and a boy — inside a vehicle near Nala Phalko on August 28, as access to medical facilities was blocked by floodwaters. The local hospital, she said, was surrounded by stagnant water and medical teams failed to reach her in time.
“If aid had arrived promptly, my children could have been saved,” the grief-stricken mother said, recalling how the inundated roads cut her off from any hope of professional care.
The loss highlights the severe disruptions caused by recent flooding in Wazirabad, where submerged roads and broken transport links continue to paralyze movement and access to essential services. Authorities have warned that the humanitarian toll is likely to rise if medical relief and mobility are not urgently restored in low-lying and isolated areas.
Week-long anti-polio drive in Balochistan
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Balochistan announced on Sunday the launch of a week-long anti-polio immunization campaign beginning tomorrow (Monday).
The initiative aims to vaccinate more than 2.179 million children under the age of five across 26 districts of the province, including Quetta, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Chaman, Barkhan, Dera Bugti, Hub, Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi, Kalat, Khuzdar, Killa Saifullah, Loralai, Mastung, Nushki, Naseerabad, Sherani, Sibi, Sohbatpur, Usta Muhammad, Zhob, Musakhail, Chaghi, Duki, Lasbela, and Ziarat.
EOC Coordinator Inamul Haq described the campaign as critical in the ongoing fight against poliovirus, which continues to surface in environmental samples from the province. He confirmed that a total of 8,933 teams would be mobilized, including 652 fixed teams at hospitals and public sites, 459 transit teams at bus stops and entry/exit points, and thousands of door-to-door teams to cover homes in both urban centers and remote villages.
“All logistical and operational preparations have been completed to ensure full coverage,” he said, urging parents to ensure their children receive the drops. “Even if a single child remains unvaccinated, it puts all children at risk.”
Inamul Haq further appealed to civil society, educators, and religious leaders to promote awareness, stressing the importance of routine immunization against 12 life-threatening diseases including measles, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, and diphtheria.
“Protecting the health of our children is a shared responsibility,” he said.
