Why West is hiding spread of polio disease?

By Afshain Afzal
 

All hopes for the polio free world have vanished like water bubbles exposed to sun. The series of detection of new polio type virus cases in United States of America, Canada and some of the European countries has put a question mark on the effectiveness of the polio vaccines and credibility of the executors of immunization campaign,  There are many who have discredited organizations like Rotary International, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) due to their failure to share data around the world and non-focusing on developed world as epicentre of the disease. The latest revelation by clinics in western European countries confirmed that facts have intentionally being evaded. California health officials last month also admitted that they detected polio in United States but though 20 to 25 recent cases of sudden paralysis in children are linked to a polio-like virus but not caused by polio itself. Whatever, the case may be, the situation is alarming but one wonders why West is hiding this disease from the rest of the world.

 

Ironically, in Muslim countries including Pakistan, security is said to be the main reason for the spread of polio virus as vaccination cannot be organized there. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, control of large areas by Taliban is being referred as reason of failure of eradication of polio. It is strange that through coercive methods, Islamic Council of Pakistan has been competed to issue Fatwa (verdict) that the administration of polio drops to children is Islamic. In this regard, the Darul Afta of the Pakistan Ulema Council has also issued a Fatwa saying that prominent scholars and experts of the Muslim world are convinced that polio drops do not contain anything that is harmful to health, or against Sharia law. One wonders then why there is still massive propaganda against the Muslims for non-cooperation. It is being doubted, especially in Syria and Iraq that Western imperialist and expansionist powers are using polio campaign in Muslim countries as strategic tool to medically weaken their nationals. 

 

There can be no two opinions that Polio is causing paralysis and deaths around the world. However, the medical research organizations are not ready to admit that Polio viruses still rules the world, especially in developed countries. They believe that increasing number of people in USA, Canada, UK and other European countries have had polio in past and are mere developing a condition called Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS). PPS is the result of the gradual deterioration of nerve cells in the spinal cord (called motor neurons) that were damaged by the polio virus. Their theory cannot be tote as most of the detection of polio cases in the West are in children. It is estimated that alone in UK, there are around 180,000 people who survived polio when they were younger. Some of these are likely to develop a PPS condition. Ignoring the bitter truth of detection of recent 140 cases reported in UK this year, the health official claim that they have doubts that their nationals have contracted polio from other countries. There are also some experts who have claimed it as side effect of the attenuated polio vaccine (containing the live virus).

 

The WHO and other world organizations claim that there are now only three countries where the polio condition remains a widespread problem. These are Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The latest reporting of polio cases in the West have put a question mark on misleading statements by these organizations. It is being contested that there is no cure for polio, so it is important to prevent it from occurring by making sure your child receives all their necessary vaccinations. It has been proved that polio vaccines have failed to produce desired results. One wonders that polio disease started from West and still not eliminated but it is being projected that developed countries are free from polio. There is no doubt that the Western countries are the carriers of this disease and are threat to the others.

 

It is no more any secret that a new type of polio-virus has become widespread in the US and has caused death to at least 21people. The gravity of the situation can be judged from the fact that from last month’s figure of 798 infected people in 46 states, it rose to confirmed total of 1220 people in 47 states. These people have been sickened with polio-virus that caused respiratory illness and has potential to lead to paralysis. Public schools in many states including New Jersey issued a warning to parents about polio type Enterovirus being reported at local schools. US health authorities are still calling it a non-polio Enterovirus despite confirmation of paralysis and deaths. It is being claimed that one of the reasons of spread of polio is that the practicing Christians have refused to allow their children and fellow Christens to use polio drops because of it prohibition in their faith. One wonders why US, Canada and other western countries are hiding the truth that their population are suffering from polio. It is high time that United Nations and International organizations must take a step forward to save these countries from the fatal disease of polio. There is requirement to ensure that every American, Briton, Canadian as well as others gets polio immunization before traveling to other parts of the world.