THE POLIO BREAK



The American Civil War is said to be the last big-time conflict fought without the concepts of diseases. Injuries complicated by deficiencies in diet and hygiene paved way for the various epidemics resulting in a colossal loss of combatants, thereby delaying the war's end...

And as we learn today about an unvaccinated 10-month-old baby in Gaza afflicted with polio, a virus that has raised it's ugly head in the region after a quarter of a century, could it possibly be nature trying to slow things in a conflict that is now in it's 11th month?...

The extensive damage to water and sanitation systems caused by the conflict could be responsible for the re-emergence of the highly infectious virus. WHO has reportedly sprung into action with efforts under way for a vaccination programme, pressing for a pause in the unrest; to which the warring sides have reportedly, and thankfully, agreed upon...

With the terrible humanitarian conditions and physical destruction that Gaza has been subjected to, should a polio outbreak be treated as a priority issue is the question. Yes, for UN and WHO. The recent case, experts say, is due to a mutated strain of the virus released from vaccinated people in their waste...

With over 40K reportedly perishing and over five times of that injured and displaced, mostly women and children, I often wonder as to why aren't people, or nations, fed up of fighting, when at the end of it all would invariably be a return to the negotiating table...

About four years ago nature had given a tight wrap on the world’s knuckles, bringing the latter to a virtual standstill. It gave enough time for the world to undergo holistic repairs and redemption. We had raised visions of a saner, responsible and a more compassionate world at the other end of the pandemic...

But alas, we failed to learn our lessons. I needn't repeat the "endeavour" that began on 24th February 2022...

God bless us all...

🙏🙏

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