When will it be history?

 

 

With World’s Health Day approaching (April 7), most countries are busy sketching plans to address the spread of deadly diseases like cancer, AIDS, TB et al. However, even today most countries are fighting hard to mitigate the problem of polio. In order to eradicate this deadly virus they did it all, from polio awareness camps to widespread free administration of polio drops on the doors of the patience. Even after funds flowing in from all possible sources and co-operation from almost all global bodies, the problem seems to be still there in that very same position.

There is a need to ensure a complete participation of almost all stakeholders of society. In most South-Asian countries, due to lack of education, polio is considered the gloom of god and thus there is high resistance among people to polio vaccination. The eradication programme should make sure that the local political, religious and community leaders generate support from opinion leaders; who in turn can influence society to embrace these programmes.

Although the polio eradication programmes have been implemented in all conflict-affected zones, the difficult circumstances in these areas continue to create hurdles for the eradication programme. Moreover, along with the urgent need to stop polio virus transmission in Afghanistan and other conflict zones, there is also a very urgent requirement to check the transmission of virus across the border. Even in the time of internal disturbances and in the absence of proper functional government, Somalia successfully eradicated polio. This landmark achievement is because of the hard work of more than 10,000 Somali health workers. This is surely an example to follow for many countries that are better off than Somali in many ways.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data, there is a funding gap of US$ 525 million of a $1.3 billion budget. This financial gap will not only create hurdles in development programmes, but will add many more polio-affected children in the world. At least, let the whole world on this World Health Day stand up and together vouch to first address this virus which attacks and paralyses the future of any society.