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Polio returns to Kenya after 22 years

ELIANE ENGELER

Associated Press

Latest comment posted at 4:32 PM EDT 18/10/06

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  1. Ian E from Vancouver, Canada writes: This is very sad - I can only hope that the WHO continues its efforts to eradicate this horrible disease. What is even more sad is that parents in this country are suddenly deciding that they will not vaccinate their own children against diseases like polio and whooping cough. Despite the fact that the vaccines are free and available and offerred during a scheduled visit to the doctor (i.e. they're at the doctor anyway) they are making a specific and concious effort to decline them. Thus their childrens' only defense against these diseases is the hope that at least 95% of other Canadian children DO get the vaccines (and that they never travel to other parts of the world). Perhaps these people should speak to some of our elder Canadians (like my grandmother), who remember a time when families had eight or ten children because many didn't survive more than a few years. It almost seems criminal to put a child at risk like that, in my opinion.
  2. Steve S from Calgary, Canada writes: A horrid ghost from my past, polio. And ignorance makes us vulnerable to it yet. The disease would be eradicated, but for ignorant opposition to vaccination. Don't be too self-righteous about backwoods mullahs, though. I have known young Canadian parents to choose against vaccination because of uninformed worries about safety. I grew up with crippled kids on the ground floor of my elementary school, kids I knew in iron lungs, reasonable fear of crowds and public pools. Polio vaccine, like other vaccines, is some of the best health care available, but ignorant parents have created numbers of unvaccinated children and leave us open for this plague to come again to Canada. The virus is still around, and planes move it around fast. If you have delayed until now, be afraid. And please, protect our children.
  3. g m from Toronto, Canada writes: before people get self righteous about parents not wanting their children to get vaccines, please remember Tuskegee. sometimes there is a basis for fear
  4. Patrick Dunn from London, Canada writes: I agree with both posters (1 and 2). I cannot understand why some parents fail to see the benefits of oh, I don't know, not contracting Polio! I have had the opportunity to know a parent who was one of these "science kills more people than it help" adherents. I recieved something that I would say was akin to using the free-rider theory as proof they don't require vaccination for their children. The logic went like this. If all the other kids are vaccinated then there is no chance that my child will get it so why introduce harmfull "disease" to their system if I don't have to. I almost choked when I heard this. But back to Kenya. I recall hearing years ago that a major vaccination to eradicate polio in most of Africa was being undertaken. Oh boy.
  5. Blair Langmuir from W'loo, Canada writes: Post #2 makes some strong points, but please people ... what kind of crazy society would keep putting money into Public Health when there is a chance to create more TAX CUTS!! My money for me first, everything else can wait.
  6. JM Work from Canada writes: Truely sad. And even sadder is the reason for the stopping of the vacinations.
  7. Diane Schweik from EDMONTON, Canada writes: Unfortunately some chiropractors preach against vaccination.I am not up to date on this but I recall that a few years ago the Ontario body that licenses cprs refused to discipline one who was holding public meetings warning against vaccination.The virtual eradication of so many of these diseases in Europe and North America means that parents do not realise how devastating and sometimes fatal a lot of these illnesses are.
  8. Sara Krynitzki from Montreal, Canada writes: While vaccines have saved lives, they have also taken lives too. They should be used with caution and informed knowledge. Vaccines can contain preservatives and additives that are detrimental to health and are known to be realited to a variety of horrible new diseases that surfaced around the time vaccines started to be administered. All this story makes me realize is that nature will always win.

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