Facebook to help Pakistan fight polio after being accused of hindering efforts

A man poses with a magnifier in front of a Facebook logo on display. Picture: REUTERS/DADO RUVICPakistan says Facebook will help the country in its fight against polio after authorities blamed antivaccine content posted in 2019 on the social network site for a leap in the number of cases.

By 2018 just 12 cases had been recorded, but to the dismay of Pakistani authorities and the World Health Organisation, that number soared to 136 in 2019. They called on Facebook do more to remove harmful anti-vaccine content from the site, saying it was jeopardising eradication initiatives and putting the lives of polio workers at risk.This week a delegation from the company visited Islamabad and reaffirmed their commitment to the campaign, a Pakistani government statement said.

Dr Zafar Mirza, a special assistant on health to Prime Minister Imran Khan, highlighted the importance of communicating correct health information online and stressed “the need to counter harmful content on social media”.Vaccination campaigns have faced stubborn resistance for years in Pakistan, with many refusing to have their children inoculated because of misinformation and conspiracy theories.

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