THERE is good news from Tirah: children in the area have been vaccinated
against polio and other preventable diseases for the first time in
several years due to the cooperation of Ansarul Islam, a militant group
active in Khyber Agency. The vaccinations had been suspended since 2009
because of hostilities between the militants and the army. The militants
apparently played a key role in convincing community members to get
their children vaccinated. But while there has been a breakthrough in
Khyber Agency, the situation in North Waziristan is grim as vaccinators
still don`t have access to children there. A `ban` was imposed by a
jirga in the region earlier this year in protest against US drone
strikes. Some estimates suggest over 100,000 children may have been
missed out in the current anti-polio drive in the Agency because of the
ban.
Unpleasant as it may be for the state to deal with
militants, where the protection of children against polio is concerned
even this bitter pill may have to be swallowed. More so, those
politicians who have sympathies or ideological affiliation with tribal
people need to convince locals tribesmen as well as militants to have
their children immunised.
For example Imran Khan is headed to South Waziristan to lead a `peace march` in October in protest against US drones.
Mr
Khan and other leaders of religious and political parties with
influence in Fata need to highlight the importance of the antipolio
campaign with as much zeal as they condemn drones. Fata is particularly
important for along with parts of Karachi and some districts of
Balochistan, the tribal belt is a major area of concern regarding polio
transmission. Drones and polio are separate issues. Children must not be
made victims of the crippling disease for the sake of politics, and
efforts to convince the tribal people must continue.
Sustained efforts, as the Tirah example shows, can produce results
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