A campaign like the global polio eradication effort brings many challenges. Inevitably there will be external factors that complicate the effort even more. But if one of those factors is “religion”, things can get ugly.
In each of the three remaining polio-endemic countries, the volunteers have to work in regions with large Muslim populations. These areas are also the base from which rebellions operate.
And those often promote that the polio eradication effort is part of a larger strategic warfare plan, intending to sterilize Muslims or even worse. This causes local population to refuse vaccination for their children.
In Pakistan, anti-Western militants are blocking vaccination drives as long as the U.S. continues its drone attacks. And not long ago, in Pakistan, violent attacks against health workers took one life and injured two others.
Naveed Hussain from the Pakistan Herald: "Taliban has a point to make" (http://goo.gl/LDqSd)
This shows the challenge... But what right do the Taliban have to use children as a negotiation argument?
Posted by: WorldPolioDay | 07/31/2012 at 02:57 PM