Polio on the Rise in Pakistan

Most of the polio cases come from the FATA and SWAT regions of Pakistan where the taliban are pretty much in control. One of the reasons for the polio cases appearing in the first case is local imams had claimed the vaccine is a Western plot to sterlize muslims. Reuters

ISLAMABAD, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Fighting between the Pakistani army and Islamist militants as well as hostility towards vaccinating teams has led to a sharp increase in polio cases in Pakistan this year, health workers said on Friday.

Pakistan is one of the few countries where the deadly, crippling disease still exists. Polio, spreads through poor hygiene, and is also endemic in Nigeria, India and Afghanistan.

Pakistan has had 55 polio cases this year compared with 32 last year and 39 in 2006.

....

"Parts of Swat and parts of FATA, we haven't been able to go and immunise children for quite some time. So that means we have a build-up of susceptible children that haven't been immunised." said Melisa Corkum, a UNICEF communications officer.

FATA is the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, seven semi-autonomous ethnic Pashtun dominated regions in the northwest, where militants fighting the Pakistani government and foreign forces in Afghanistan have sanctuaries.

Swat is a valley in North West Frontier Province where fighting has also been intense.

"Vaccinators are really putting themselves at risk in these areas," Corkum said.