Militant stance has meant some 260,000 children under five years of age have been “missed” in North and South Waziristan alone.
Authorities say that the militant stance has meant some 260,000 children under five years of age have been “missed” in North and South Waziristan alone. They also warn that when there is no anti-polio coverage in a specific stretch of territory for over a year, the virus tends to expand. Shabana had not received even a single dose of the amber drops which can so easily prevent a potentially crippling disease. The punishment the militants have meted out to children amounts to an act of barbarism. It also handicaps Pakistan — one of only three countries in the world where the disease remains endemic — from eradicating it.
The role of militants in blocking the administration of polio drops is simply unacceptable. It extends beyond preventing teams from entering an area. Propaganda against vaccinations and misinformation meted out to parents also means the rate of ‘refusals’ is high. These have most recently been reported from the Bajaur Agency. Local administrations and elected representatives from Fata need to urgently assess the situation, examine the militant threat and find ways of ensuring that children are vaccinated against polio.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2013.
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Anecdotal evidence of how little control Islamabad has over these territories - erodes your sovereignty argument. How about using that expensive million man army to at least provide temporary control sufficient to complete an immunization program - go town to town with large military escort and perform mandatory inoculations.
The strategy of terrorists is to punish their own innocent citizens whatever the excuse.They have stooped so low as to jeopardize the health of children.And they expect that citizenry support their cause. Other than a few apologists , everybody ifs and should be fed-up with them. The mullahs have worsened the mischief by towing their line.
This is one area where GOI should voluntarily help GOP. Indian healthcare professionals have also faced similar probelms in the past but have successfully over come the taboo related to polio drops that existed among various commumities in india including muslims. Here is a sucessful model to eradicate polio next door, GOP should send its healh professionals to india to learn from our experience. GOI will help GOP and the people of pakistan to eradicate the menace of polio. Khuda hafiz.