WHO pushes to eradicate polio in Pakistan and Afghanistan

May 07, 2006

The BBC reports that the WHO campaign to eradicate polio is back on track:

Some 16 million children living in the remote and dangerous border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan are due to be vaccinated for polio this week. Tens of thousands of health workers will fan out across the region in the coming days to carry out the programme. It will be one of the most demanding immunisation programmes ever carried out by the World Health Organisation. But the WHO hopes it will mean the total eradication of polio in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This would mean polio remained endemic in only two countries, India and Nigeria.

Owen comments: We stand in awe of the bravery, commitment, professionalism and dedication of the specialist teams who put themselves at risk to bring about the final eradication of polio; and our thoughts are with them.

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