Pakistan Close To Eliminating Polio But Challenges Remain, With 1 Case Reported So Far This Year

New York Times: Pakistan Has Just One New Polio Case, but Isn’t Declaring Victory Yet
“…Pakistan has come agonizingly close to declaring victory over polio. Each of the last three years, nongovernmental organizations involved in fighting it have optimistically declared it the virus’s final year, seeking support from international donors and local officials as they embark on the daunting task of vaccinating every child five and under in the country. But polio has persisted here and in neighboring Afghanistan, where increasing instability has left both countries at risk, the finish line just beyond reach…” (Ahmad, 5/20).

NPR: Pakistan Still Struggles To Eradicate Polio
“…It is not easy because in order to vaccinate a kid, you need to find the kid several times over many weeks and give several doses of vaccine. So now every few weeks, almost half a million people are going out and trying to vaccinate 38 million children. Things are looking good. There’s only been one polio case this year, but getting down to zero is tough. Here’s NPR’s Diaa Hadid in Rawalpindi, Pakistan…” (Hadid, 5/18).

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