We should all support polio’s eradication

The people who put themselves in harm’s way to help others deserve recognition

The polio campaign is just one of many health and welfare projects in which the UAE is proudly engaged. WAM

At times when the bad news overwhelms the good, we can sometimes fail to appreciate significant events and achievements that make the world a better place. One of those achievements is the battle against polio, a crippling yet entirely preventable disease that was once endemic around the globe. It is now largely confined to just two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the UAE is playing a key role in its full eradication.

Our support for this crucial work has been led by the President, Sheikh Khalifa, and actively embraced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. The UAE has worked closely with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in promoting vaccination against polio, and Friday saw the launch of the Heroes of Polio Eradiation (Hope) award to acknowledge those who have worked selflessly – and put themselves in harm’s way – to offer children a polio-free future.

Vaccination teams have gone door-to-door in 53 areas of Pakistan’s Khyber Paktunkhwa province and in tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan. The efforts of thousands of people on the ground have seen more than 21 million children vaccinated in that region alone. The total number of vaccines administered in Pakistan is over 86 million. The campaign has included more than 48,000 television commercials and other advertisements, many of them aimed at overcoming ignorance and deliberate misinformation about vaccination. Members of the Pakistani Taliban, who tell families that the campaign is a western plot to harm them, have killed more than 60 vaccination workers in two years. The UAE’s influence as a respected Islamic nation is important here in spreading the truth.

The campaign has been a success, with the number of cases in Pakistan down from 328 last year to 38 so far this year. Just last month, the World Health Organisation announced that polio is no longer endemic in Nigeria, thanks to vaccination campaigns.

The polio campaign is just one of many health and welfare projects in which the UAE is proudly engaged. We know that vaccination is safe and that it works, but we cannot be complacent. As Sheikh Mohammed said: “This is the real challenge that we must face because ensuring health care for present and future generations guarantees a bright future for the whole world.”