# 6444
Overnight word came down that a doctor working with the polio eradication effort in Pakistan had been shot and killed. This was the second shooting incident in a week involving the polio teams in that country.
Today, we’ve a joint statement from the World Health Organization and UNICEF on this tragic incident.
Polio eradication worker shot and killed in Karachi, Pakistan
Joint WHO/UNICEF Statement
21 July 201221 July 2012 | KARACHI, PAKISTAN/New York/Geneva - The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are deeply saddened by the killing of Mr. Muhammad Ishaq, a local community worker who was part of the Polio Eradication Initiative in Pakistan.
Mr. Ishaq was shot and killed in the Gadap town area of Karachi on Friday evening.
Polio immunization activities were suspended in this area of Karachi earlier this week after a shooting incident injured two WHO staff members who were supporting the implementation and monitoring of a vaccination campaign.
Until activities were suspended, Mr. Ishaq had worked with the national polio eradication effort as a Union Council Polio Worker for several months, helping to plan and implement vaccination campaigns to protect the most underserved and vulnerable children against this debilitating disease.
Because of the dedication of every-day heroes like Mr. Ishaq, Pakistan is this year closer than ever to the eradication of polio. He was known for his dedication and diligence to immunize all children against polio.
Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that can cause permanent paralysis in a matter of hours. There is no cure, but there are safe and effective vaccines. Polio can be eradicated if every child is immunized until transmission stops worldwide.
Currently the disease remains endemic in only three countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Mr. Ishaq was one of the thousands of people across Pakistan who worked selflessly in the battle to eradicate polio.
WHO, UNICEF and all of the polio partners in Pakistan and globally express their deepest sympathy to his family for this tragic loss. The partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative remain committed to supporting the Government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan in their efforts to eradicate this devastating disease.
The polio eradication efforts in Pakistan have been under recent threat by Taliban militants who have vowed that the vaccination campaign cannot proceed until the United States ceases drone strikes in their country.
There is also speculation that these attacks may also be a backlash against the CIA ruse that used a fake vaccination program in Pakistan as a front to cover their the hunt for Osama bin Laden last year.
For more details on that story, I would invite you to visit Maryn McKenna’ blog Update: Pakistan, Polio, Fake Vaccines And The CIA.
