A New Round in Polio Fights Yet to Be Won

The New York Times article (Registration required.)

"By late 2003, just six countries were reporting new cases - a total of fewer than 800 in the world. Now the virus seems to be rearing up everywhere.

"Yesterday a case of polio paralysis was confirmed in Indonesia, following closely on the 22 cases confirmed in Yemen last week. Four cases have been confirmed in Ethiopia since March, and in February, two were confirmed in Saudi Arabia. Even that many is hardly an epidemic, but the outbreaks suggest that thousands of active virus-carriers are on the loose, since only 1 case in 200 causes paralysis.

"Since late 2003, new cases have been reported across Central Africa from the Atlantic Coast to the Red Sea. Because polio was found in Mecca and along the highways and ferry ports leading there just as the 2005 Muslim pilgrimage was peaking in January, public health officials feared it could be spread around the globe by pilgrims headed home."

"But despite flare-ups in 16 new countries, polio eradication officials are still optimistic."

It is sad to see a few countries threaten to reinfect the whole world with this terrible disease. When the failure is due to lack of knowledge of the disease and its prevention on the part of Public Health officials, the importance of Knowledge for Development becomes painfully obvious. When the problem is caused by superstitious denial of modern knowledge, the problem makes my angry!