The spread of polio now poses a global health emergency, the WHO has warned. (Photo: NICEF Ethiopia/cc/flickr)
May 05, 2014
The current spread of polio poses an international emergency and public health threat that could undermine efforts to eradicate the disease, the World Health Organization warned on Monday.
The only other time the United Nations body stated that conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) were warranted was in 2009, during the H1N1 pandemic.
There have already been documented cases of the crippling disease being internationally transported in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and the WHO cites the fact that these have happened during low transmission season as cause for particular concern.
In addition to Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria, countries the international spread of wild poliovirus has occurred, seven other states are experiencing polio infections: Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Israel, Nigeria, Somalia and Iraq.
Pakistan has been particular hard hit, the UN body said, with 59 of the 74 cases of polio this year striking the country. The majority of those, 46 of the 59, have struck the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, a region that has been the frequent target of U.S. drone strikes.
The country was also the site of a fake vaccination program carried out by the CIA to gain intelligence about the location of Osama bin Laden. That fake program prompted retaliatory attacks on anti-polio campaigners in Pakistan, though the WHO has taken measures to reduce violence against health workers there.
Speaking to press on Monday, the WHO's Dr. Bruce Aylward said, "The current conflict situations that we're dealing with globally further complicate obviously the implementation of the strategies but so far have not proven a barrier to the ability to interrupt it altogether."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
The current spread of polio poses an international emergency and public health threat that could undermine efforts to eradicate the disease, the World Health Organization warned on Monday.
The only other time the United Nations body stated that conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) were warranted was in 2009, during the H1N1 pandemic.
There have already been documented cases of the crippling disease being internationally transported in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and the WHO cites the fact that these have happened during low transmission season as cause for particular concern.
In addition to Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria, countries the international spread of wild poliovirus has occurred, seven other states are experiencing polio infections: Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Israel, Nigeria, Somalia and Iraq.
Pakistan has been particular hard hit, the UN body said, with 59 of the 74 cases of polio this year striking the country. The majority of those, 46 of the 59, have struck the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, a region that has been the frequent target of U.S. drone strikes.
The country was also the site of a fake vaccination program carried out by the CIA to gain intelligence about the location of Osama bin Laden. That fake program prompted retaliatory attacks on anti-polio campaigners in Pakistan, though the WHO has taken measures to reduce violence against health workers there.
Speaking to press on Monday, the WHO's Dr. Bruce Aylward said, "The current conflict situations that we're dealing with globally further complicate obviously the implementation of the strategies but so far have not proven a barrier to the ability to interrupt it altogether."
The current spread of polio poses an international emergency and public health threat that could undermine efforts to eradicate the disease, the World Health Organization warned on Monday.
The only other time the United Nations body stated that conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) were warranted was in 2009, during the H1N1 pandemic.
There have already been documented cases of the crippling disease being internationally transported in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and the WHO cites the fact that these have happened during low transmission season as cause for particular concern.
In addition to Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria, countries the international spread of wild poliovirus has occurred, seven other states are experiencing polio infections: Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Israel, Nigeria, Somalia and Iraq.
Pakistan has been particular hard hit, the UN body said, with 59 of the 74 cases of polio this year striking the country. The majority of those, 46 of the 59, have struck the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, a region that has been the frequent target of U.S. drone strikes.
The country was also the site of a fake vaccination program carried out by the CIA to gain intelligence about the location of Osama bin Laden. That fake program prompted retaliatory attacks on anti-polio campaigners in Pakistan, though the WHO has taken measures to reduce violence against health workers there.
Speaking to press on Monday, the WHO's Dr. Bruce Aylward said, "The current conflict situations that we're dealing with globally further complicate obviously the implementation of the strategies but so far have not proven a barrier to the ability to interrupt it altogether."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.