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Written By: Agencies | Published : November 5, 2013 12:07 PM IST
The Syrian government will deliver polio vaccination to children after fresh reports of infections in the country emerged last week, a minister said on Monday.
According to Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, the government does not hinder humanitarian aid efforts to reach different places within the country, Xinhua reported.
Some of the aid organisations reported it was the armed rebels who hindered aid efforts and robbed supply convoys, he added.
The minister blamed the 'armed terrorist groups' were responsible for destroying hospitals, ambulances and the country's infrastructure, while attempting to prevent aid groups from providing health care to those in need.
He further blamed France, the US and other Western countries of being the source of Syrians' suffering, referring to the economic sanctions those countries have imposed on the country.
Mekdad remarks came amid growing concerns over polio infections in rebel-held areas, most notably in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour.
The UN has recently said that 10 cases of polio have been confirmed among children in Syria, the first ever reported in the Middle East country since 1999. It urged organisations to vaccinate Syrian children to prevent an epidemic. (Read: WHO confirms polio outbreak in Syria)
What is polio?
Polio or poliomyelitis is a communicable viral disease which affects the nerves and can lead to partial or permanent paralysis. It is transmitted through stool or saliva. The global effort to eradicate polio has been very successful and from 350,000 cases in 1988 only 40 cases were reported worldwide in 2012. There is no cure for the diseases though vaccination can prevent the disease for life. India has done remarkably in eradicating polio and from 2011 no new cases were reported. (Read more..)
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With inputs from IANS
