Pakistani kids and polio: Caught Between Jihadis and Disease

Dec 21, 2012

Pakistani kids are in a tough situation. Either polio cripples them or those who give them vaccines, the Taliban kill them. Between Disease and Islamist Jihadi, they are being hounded. And there is no answer as to how to handle it.

At least nine people have been killed for their involvement in Pakistan’s polio eradication campaign to deliver vaccines to 33 million children. The World Health Organization and UNICEF announced a temporary suspension of the vaccination campaign due to safety concerns. Tom Clarke of Independent Television News reports.

So now the Aid organizations are asking if delivering aid is even worth it?

While aid groups operate with apolitical, humanitarian intentions, workers trying to bring relief in the middle of conflicts often find themselves in danger. Ray Suarez talks to Joel Charny of InterAction about the recent deaths of health workers trying to eradicate polio in Pakistan and the “erosion of safety” for aid groups.