In the past 18 months, the virus that most gripped the world's attention has not been the polio virus. Yet, even during the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, polio has remained a threat in a few remaining parts of the world.
The paralysing disease afflicts spinal cords of children aged 5 and younger. Regions need to be constantly monitored so that cases don't re-appear. As infectious as the virus is infamously known to be, the campaign to rid the world of it, had been halted for 18 months due to the pandemic. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the last two countries with endemic polio.
Today, as another World Polio Day is marked, an occasion arises to evaluate the gains made globally and the work that remains – including, crucially, battling misinformation and vaccine hesitancy – to meet the end goal set 30 years ago, of eradicating the disease.
Over the years, the UAE has delivered financial support and made enormous efforts towards this end, with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, having pledged more than $250 million since 2011.
Last July, amid the pandemic, the UAE became the first country to resume the polio vaccination programme, supporting door-to-door campaigns in Pakistan, where 12 million children have already benefited. On Saturday, the World Health Organisation said the UAE had boosted Pakistan's fight with funds to the tune of $23m.
Polio eradication is one of those missions that exemplifies what is possible when countries champion global concerns and join other stakeholders to deliver a common vision – goals grow within reach.
Since 1988, progress in this regard has been significant and measurable. According to the WHO, wild poliovirus cases decreased by over 99 per cent – from an estimated 350,000 cases in more than 125 endemic countries in 1998 to 175 reported cases in 2019. Such landmark numbers are the outcome of joint efforts and teamwork headed by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, led by national governments, WHO, Unicef, and among others, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Contributions of donor countries and the pledges of stakeholders are a lifeline to the larger goal
Two of the three strains of wild poliovirus (type 1, 2 and 3) have been eradicated. The world can be close to putting the lid on the disease for good if type 1 is eradicated. As of 2020, it continues to affect the neighbouring countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
After years of progress in Afghanistan – where they managed to keep a check on polio infections – the trend in the past two years has been worrisome. Due to violence and unrest, cases have surged. This is an ominous sign not just for the country and its 3.3 million children in need of the vaccine; as we've seen with the coronavirus, infections don't conform to borders and geographies. Children everywhere – who have not been inoculated – are at risk of contracting the disease, unless all parts of the world are 100 per cent polio free.
In a positive development that, however, needs to be viewed with a measure of scepticism, this week the Taliban said it will not impede the inoculation campaign, which is set to pick up pace from November. This is at least a step in the right direction because of the incidents of violence earlier in the year – three women medical workers were killed in Jalalabad as they went about doing their duties of administering polio drops in the eastern parts of the country. Such cases of violence are tragic on their own but they also rob any fragile headway made in global health campaigns. Polio eradication efforts must be allowed to continue safely until every child has been inoculated, their chances of healthy futures massively increased.
To this end, and not just in areas of strife, the contributions of donor countries and the pledges of stakeholders are a lifeline to the larger goal of ensuring that all children in all parts of the world can live healthy, polio-free lives.
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
