19 Dec 2012

PAKISTAN / POLIO

As media reported three more people killed today for their involvement in Pakistan's polio eradication campaign, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that "irrespective of the circumstances" such attacks were "completely unacceptable". The agency has announced a temporary suspension of the vaccination campaign. WHO

Posted at: December 19, 2012 7:09 pm

Duration: 02:17

Available in: SD

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STORY: PAKISTAN / POLIO
TRT: 2.17
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 19 DECEMBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – DATE UNKNOWN, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, exterior World Health Organization Headquarters

19 DECEMBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General - Polio, Emergencies and Country Collaboration:
"Over the last few days, we have seen a series of horrific attacks on health workers in Pakistan who were trying to deliver vaccination to some of the most deprived and disadvantaged children in that country. And we need to be very clear that irrespective of the circumstances of the situation, attacks on health workers, health facilities, or health services are completely unacceptable."

FILE – 2007, PAKISTAN

3. Various shots, family receiving polio vaccinations

19 DECEMBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
 
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General - Polio, Emergencies and Country Collaboration:
"In Pakistan, the Polio Eradication Initiative involves hundreds of thousands of people. Health workers, parents, social mobilisers, community mobilisers, drivers, cold chain logisticians, all involved a herculean effort to reach 33 million children over a space of a couple of days with a simple life saving intervention of the oral polio vaccine."

FILE – 2007, PAKISTAN

5. Various shots, family receiving polio vaccinations
 
19 DECEMBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General - Polio, Emergencies and Country Collaboration:
"The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is one of the most broad-based health initiatives, or international initiatives ever undertaken. It has broad international support, especially from the Islamic world, where Islamic institutions, Islamic countries, Islamic donors have played a leading role in ensuring that all children get vaccinated and especially their populations are protected forever from this horrific disease."
 
FILE – 2007, PAKISTAN

7. Various shots, family receiving polio vaccinations

19 DECEMBER 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General - Polio, Emergencies and Country Collaboration:
"So far, as long as we are talking about that key issue of protecting children from life-long paralysis we have always been able to find common purpose, common ground with populations."
 
FILE – 2007, PAKISTAN

9. Various shots, family receiving polio vaccinations

STORYLINE:

As media reported three more people killed today (19 December) for their involvement in Pakistan's polio eradication campaign, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that "irrespective of the circumstances" such attacks were "completely unacceptable".

On Tuesday, WHO in a joint statement with UNICEF condemned the killing of at least six other people working on the country's polio campaign, and announced a temporary suspension of the vaccination campaign in Pakistan due to concerns over the safety of health workers.

In an interview Wednesday, WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Bruce Aylward noted that the Polio Eradication Initiative in Pakistan was a "herculean effort" involving hundreds of thousands of people. The aim is to deliver the polio vaccine to 33 million children.

Pakistan, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria, is one of only three countries worldwide where polio is still endemic.

Aylward stressed that the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was "one of the most broad-based" health initiatives ever undertaken, with Islamic institutions, countries and donors playing a leading role.

He added that this was not the first time a polio campaign had been suspended, with civil unrest or conflict having disrupted initiatives in other countries over the past twenty years. "In every single situation it was possible to restart vaccination after dialogue and addressing the root causes of the problem", he said.

Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that can cause permanent paralysis in a matter of hours. Safe and effective vaccines protect children from the disease.