Muslim leaders enlisted to help stamp out polio

The last three countries where polio is still paralyzing children – Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria – said on Thursday that they have enlisted Muslim women and religious leaders to allay fears of vaccination and wipe out the disease. Polio cases are at an all-time low worldwide, following its eradication in India last year, raising hopes but also fears about a threat of resurgence especially in sub-Saharan Africa unless remaining reservoirs of polio virus are stamped out. Conflict and insecurity is preventing health workers from reaching hundreds of thousands of children in Afghanistan and Pakistan with doses of polio vaccine, health ministers said. “The number one issue is security-compromised areas, insecure areas such as in the tribal areas which is still giving us several (polio) cases and is a big challenge for us,” said Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Special Assistant to Pakistan’s Prime Minister, who is in charge of the polio eradication campaign. “Religious leaders have...