Two polio vaccination workers have been killed in north-western Pakistan in the latest of a spate of deadly attacks.

The shootings in the Peshawar region left a vaccination supervisor and her driver dead, and injured a volunteer.

The deaths brought to eight the number of health workers killed in this week's anti-polio drive. The three-day drive is now over.

No group has claimed responsibility, but the Taliban have issued threats against the UN's anti-polio efforts.

The militants have accused health workers of working as US spies and say the vaccine makes children sterile.

Pakistan is one of just three countries where the disease is still endemic.

Coming after five deaths on Tuesday, and one on Monday, the UN children's agency Unicef and the World Health Organisation halted work in Sindh province in the south and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the north-west on Tuesday. The suspension was extended nationwide on Wednesday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20779388

My father contracted polio as a young man and remained wheelchair dependent for the rest of his life. We are so close to eradicating the polio virus completely, so this is a real set-back!

I read at this morning from my local newspaper this same news. Also from that newspaper I read that last year polio paralyzed at least 200 children in Pakistan.

Hmmm.....this is going to be interesting - a topic on vaccinations and the taliban in one, on this forum...... Oh boy!

Im sitting this one out.

Thanks for sharing Glo : )

I was gonna share this myself. What a shame... media is to be blamed too for sensationalizing the CIA vaccination method and making this already brainwashed scum of a people even more paranoid.

Now more lives will be scarred as we can't agree on how to deal with these Jihadis

Were they same whose shoot a girl to head because she wanted to study? And now same whose think it is better that children (and adults too) die or paralyze by polio than get vaccination by some strange conspiracy theory from CIA?

Originally Posted by sister harb

Were they the same who shot a girl in the head because she wanted to study?

Most likely..

There are pros and cons in the Muslim communities for halal status of polio vaccine. This is because of the Trypsin (enzyme pig) used in the vaccine manufacturing process.

This is explanation of polio vaccine making process by dr.Novilia Sjafri Bachtiar from Biofarma[*]

1. Trypsin is not material for the vaccine, but for cell harvest used for viral media. Trypsin is material to release cells from the media where virus attached.

2. Trypsin removed, there is also a washing process, and then the process of dissolution with water in very large numbers.

3. In the final product was not found elements of trypsin.

So, is polio vaccine halal? or haram?.

Regarding to this matter, Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has issued a fatwa that polio vaccine is allowed to be used because currently there is no other vaccine which does not use material from pig. (with note: when "Trypsin-free" polio vaccine has been invented, this "trypsin-use" vaccine becomes haram).

MUI allow this polio vaccine using based on "law of emergency situation", which this vaccination program is very important to save the children from polio.

Ulema in other Muslim-majority countries have issued similar fatwa too, including ulema in Saudi Arabia. But unfortunately, there are local mullah in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria who refuse those fatawa and forbid people to receive polio vaccination.

[*]Biofarma is Indonesian government-own vaccine manufacturer, located in Bandung city. This is one of only 28 vaccines manufacturers in the world that listed in WHO prequalified list. Biofarma is the only polio vaccines manufacturers (in WHO prequalified list) which located in Muslim-majority country.

World Polio Map 1988-2012



Look at the 2012 Map. There are only three countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.

Originally Posted by ardianto

World Polio Map 1988-2012



Look at the 2012 Map. There are only three countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.

The Polio Programme achieved all that in the space of 24 years? That's amazing!

Originally Posted by ardianto

There are pros and cons in the Muslim communities

It isn't a question of Halal or Haram, many of the harmful material are removed out of vaccines or at least an effort is made to do so. Also even in the rare cases of egg allergies and the likes it is recommended that the vaccine is given anyway & watchful waiting to any side effects that ensue as it is better to treat an allergy than a disease as a result of a missed vaccine ..
That being said, this is a political issue not a health related one. I think Pakistan best answers that question as to why they've to import foreign vaccines and foreign workers to administer them many who aren't health care workers at all. Please read the 'stealth crusade' ..
I'll go so far to say to Sr. Zaria that the first successful heart transplant took place in south Africa and if she knows of the reasons why it would shed some light as to why some folks are hesitant to have their children be the subject of such vaccines.

A country that doesn't make its own weapons, plant its own food and fosters its own industry will unfortunately sacrifice its children and its dignity and always kowtow and be dependent on foreign nations who haven't the best intentions.

Already evil is spewed from their tongues and what their hearts hide is even worse!

Al-Imran [3:118]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ بِطَانَةً مِّن دُونِكُمْ لاَ يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالاً وَدُّواْ مَا عَنِتُّمْ قَدْ بَدَتِ الْبَغْضَاء مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِي صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الآيَاتِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tattakhithoo bitanatan min doonikum la yaloonakum khabalan waddoo ma AAanittum qad badati albaghdao min afwahihim wama tukhfee sudooruhum akbaru qad bayyanna lakumu alayati in kuntum taAAqiloona

3:118 O ye who believe! Take not into your intimacy those outside your ranks: They will not fail to corrupt you. They only desire your ruin: Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths: What their hearts conceal is far worse. We have made plain to you the Signs, if ye have wisdom.

I support vaccinations but this is one incident where I am happy. I have empathies for the children paralyzed by polio but that has nothing to do with vaccine, they would have been paralyzed anyway because vaccine was not available then and such was God's will.

The fact US was able to run a fake vaccination program to attack a country, some sort of repercussions should be experienced by its citizens. It is sad that children have to be the ones experiencing these repercussions but so be it.

Originally Posted by CosmicPathos

IThe fact US was able to run a fake vaccination program to attack a country, some sort of repercussions should be experienced by its citizens. It is sad that children have to be the ones experiencing these repercussions but so be it.

One more conspiracy theory? USA wants to kill äll muslims by false vaccination?

Originally Posted by sister harb

One more conspiracy theory? USA wants to kill äll muslims by false vaccination?

I don't think that USA wants to kill all Muslims by false vaccination. But in fact CIA ran fake vaccination program to search Bin Laden. They were success, but innocent health workers bear the consequence. Now there are people in pakistan who see this polio vaccination program with suspicion and suspect that health workers are working for CIA.

Originally Posted by ardianto

But in fact CIA ran fake vaccination program to search Bin Laden. They were success, but innocent health workers bear the consequence. Now there are people in pakistan who see this polio vaccination program with suspicion and suspect that health workers are working for CIA.

That was a very damaging thing to do! It has completely undermined the good work this health programme is trying to achieve. Stupid and infuriating!!