WHEN WILL WE BE OUT OF POLIO RISK?
Since 1988 global community took an initiative to end polio in the world. Because polio is far more dangerous then it seems to be. Apart from paralyzing a person it may cause death also. Polio virus mainly affects children under five. However it can affect persons of any age.
Global polio eradication initiative decreased polio cases on earth by 99% since then. It is indeed a great achievement. In 1988 there were 350,000 polio cases around the globe but in 2012 only 223 cases were found.
Earlier this year only three countries of the world were polio affected. Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan were the countries. Rest of the world has been cleaned from polio virus successfully. It was due to global effort. In this initiative billions of dollars were spent. Today one billion American dollars are spent in an attempt to eliminate polio from the world.
Polio has many bitter facts. One the fact is if a single child is affected with polio, all the children on earth are at risk with polio virus. It means if polio virus exists in region of the world, the whole world is at risk.
To save children, their future and health is their rights. To be paralyzed for whole life is very tragic. Actually whole life of that person is paralyzed.
In Pakistan, Tribal areas have large number of polio cases as compared to rest the country. In Sindh there are few. If we have few cases in our country it means we may have many in future. All Pakistani children are at risk. Future of Pakistan is at risk. Children are youth of our country.
Taliban are stopping polio campaigns and have killed polio workers. This is totally ridiculous and condemnable. The mission to end polio is resisted by terrorists and that will result a high damage to our future. Children of Pakistan are at a greater risk and will be if same situation continues.
As described earlier if any region of the world is polio affected, whole the world is at risk. Recently, in Syria polio cases have been found and the reason is told Pakistan. From Pakistan this virus has travelled to Syria and Now Syria is affected.
What Taliban are claiming is not important but the future of children is. As medical has proved that polio virus is highly dangerous and only can be eliminated through vaccination. Then why children are being stopped to save their future. How difficult is to just imagine to be paralyzed.
Children are paying for what? Children don’t know the scenario of political environment but they are being affected. Children are innocent. They have their future’s safety up to us and government. And government is failed to make polio eradication sure.
Taliban must understand that it is not the matter of their ego or personal choice. It is matter of future of Pakistan. How can be Pakistan powerful when its youth will not be safe? When its children will not be safe till when children will be at risk .Risk is increasing day by day.
Children must be given their rights. And health is their basic and most important right.
Children must smile with confidence and they must be healthy. They will be healthy so of our future. We are quite near in eradicating polio. Once it is removed we will be forever free from the risk .Even world will be polio free on day.