May 20, 2013

Policeman killed in attack on Bajaur polio team.

KHAR: Gunmen attacked a polio vaccination team in Bajaur district on Monday, killing a policeman who was providing security, officials said.

The attackers opened fire as the team was going to administer polio drops in Kalam town in Bajaur district, one of the seven tribal areas along the Afghan border, local administration official Suhail Ahmed Khan said.

“One tribal police official, who had been escorting the team, died in the attack,” he told AFP.

May 19, 2013

Possible Polio Case in Somalia.

WHO Investigates Possible Polio Case in Somalia.

On Sunday, May 11, the World Health Organization reported the investigation of a possible wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case in Somalia's Banadir region. 

A 32-month-old girl had become ill due to acute flaccid paralysis (AFP – essentially, muscle weakness or paralysis) on April 18, and preliminary lab tests indicate WPV1. While other diseases and conditions can cause AFP, they are rare (about 1 case per 100,000 children under 15). Therefore, surveillance of cases of AFP is an important tool in polio surveillance.

Read more  www.hiiraan.com

Taliban pledge support for Afghan polio campaign.

Afghan government announced polio vaccination program last mont.

The Taliban in Afghanistan say they will now support programs aimed at eradicating polio in the country.

In a statement released earlier this week in Afghanistan, the Taliban said they asked members “not to create any kind of trouble” for health workers, but would not tolerate foreigners participating in the eradiction program.


Read more  www.cbc.ca