Please refer to pictures in most newspapers showing Islamabad traffic police administering oral Polio drops to kids on the road. In these pictures, lady officers are actually doing the job on major road junctions. This is unhygienic, illegal and worthy of notice by PMDC and the federal Ministry of Health. Islamabad Traffic Police has no idea of what it takes for safe immunization of a child. In fact, it is not their duty nor should they be doing it voluntarily. I don't know how a city with the CDA Health Directorate watching its urban areas and DHO watching its rural areas can allow such a dangerous activity. Safe vaccination requires repeated hand washings and preferably new gloves after every infant mouth is handled, otherwise the saliva of a previous child can be transfused with a new one being immunized. All vaccinations require serious follow up arrangements for which visit of a doctor, nurse or hygienist is required or arrangements must be at hand as vaccines are never 100% safe for all people. Nor are they 100% effective in raising immunity. Hence roadside vaccinations of travelling children is unsafe, illegal and a medically ill-advised practice. -DR M.I. SHAIKH, Islamabad, via e-mail, April 15.