Los Angeles Times: We’re close to wiping out polio but two obstacles stand in the way, officials say
“…[T]wo challenges stand in the way [of polio eradication efforts], according to international health officials and children’s advocates. One is the lack of accessibility to particular areas in countries where the disease is prevalent, said Reza Hossaini, director of polio eradication at the United Nations Children’s Fund. … The other obstacle is the continued resistance of some parents to have their children vaccinated. A lack of political commitment, religious norms, and rumors about the possible effects of vaccinations, such as the belief in some Pakistani tribal areas that immunization causes male sterility, could all play a role, health officials said…” (Simmons, 9/21).