US EditionTakeaways From AP’s Report on Problems in the Worldwide Campaign to Eradicate Polio
AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN, AUG 5 – Falsified immunization data and reliance on an imperfect oral vaccine hinder eradication efforts, with 99 cases reported last year in Afghanistan and Pakistan, experts say.
- Rebounding from a more than 99% decline, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative saw cases hit 99 last year and missed six eradication deadlines.
- Amid pressure, Polio campaign managers instructed workers to falsely mark children as immunized, according to senior polio officials and documents.
- The Global Polio Eradication Initiative has vaccinated 3 billion children and spared about 20 million from paralysis, operating on about $1 billion annually, said Roland Sutter.
- A mother of five said she’d prefer vaccination, but her family faces threats over allowing polio drops, and Saleem Khan’s grandchildren were vaccinated despite objections.
- Most public health experts agree the oral vaccine should be pulled as soon as possible, with Dr. T. Jacob John calling for a major course correction at WHO, and Scott Barrett calling for an inquiry.
22 Articles
22 Articles
The world nearly beat polio but fake records, an imperfect vaccine
KARACHI, Pakistan: For the past decade, Sughra Ayaz has traveled door to door in southeastern Pakistan, pleading with parents to allow children to be vaccinated against polio as part of a global campaign to wipe out the paralytic disease. She hears their demands and fears. Some are practical – families need basics like food and water more than vaccines. Others are simply
Polio eradication stalled by fake records, imperfect vaccine and missteps
KARACHI, Pakistan — For the past decade, Sughra Ayaz has traveled door to door in southeastern Pakistan, pleading with parents to allow children to be vaccinated against polio as part of a global campaign to wipe out the paralytic disease. She hears their demands and fears. Some are practical — families need basics like food and water more than vaccines. Others are simply unfounded — the oral doses are meant to sterilize their kids. Amid rampant…
Associated Press News
The world nearly beat polio. But fake records, an imperfect vaccine and missteps aided its comeback
The World Health Organization has closed in on its bold goal of eradicating polio several times, but the paralytic virus is entrenched in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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