How the Taliban is Bringing Back Polio

On a NYTimes blog, a harrowing tale of the conflict between religious extremism and the WHO in Pakistan. Fearful that the polio vaccine causes impotence (it doesn’t), local clerics in northern Pakistan waged a campaign against the vaccine, and Unicef called off its immunization effort. The result: The first case of polio in the area since 2003.

Some fascinating overlaps with the war against the Taliban in the area. Worth a read - and a longer exploration by someone.

Published by: tgoetz on July 17th, 2008 | Filed under Disease, WHO, Eradication



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