Polio eradication shifts into emergency mode
New cases at lowest levels ever, but funding gap threatens progress


GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, 24 May 2012 Despite the dramatic drop in polio cases in the last year, the threat of continued transmission due to funding and immunization gaps has driven the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)to launch an Emergency Action Plan.

The plan aims to boost vaccination coverage in Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, the three remaining polio endemic countries, to levels needed to stop polio transmission. In parallel, health ministers meeting at the World Health Assembly this week are considering a resolution to declare "the completion of polio eradication to be a programmatic emergency for global public health," in an acknowledgement of the urgency of the situation.

Polio eradication activities resulted in several landmark successes in 2010-2012. India, long-regarded as the nation facing the greatest challenges to eradication, was removed from the list of polio-endemic countries in February 2012. Outbreaks in previously polio-free countries were nearly all stopped.

Although the number of polio cases was lower in the first four months of this year than during the same period in any other year, cases continue to occur in Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Chad. Outbreaks in recent years in China and West Africa due to importations from Pakistan and Nigeria, respectively, highlight the continued threat of resurgence. By some estimates, failure to eradicate polio could lead within a decade to as many as 200,000 paralyzed children a year worldwide.

"Polio eradication is at a tipping point between success and failure," said Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization. "We are in emergency mode to tip it towards success - working faster and better, focusing on the areas where children are most vulnerable."

Once achieved, polio eradication would generate net benefits of US $40-50 billion globally by 2035, with the bulk of savings in the poorest countries, calculated based on investments made since the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was formed and savings from reduced treatment costs and gains in productivity.

"We know polio can be eradicated, and our success in India proves it," said Kalyan Banerjee, president of Rotary International, a global humanitarian service organization. "It is now a question of political and societal will. Do we choose to deliver a polio-free world to future generations, or do we choose to allow 55 cases this year to turn into 200,000 children paralyzed for life, every single year? "

Full funding of new plan critical
Already, funding shortages have forced the GPEI to cancel or scale-back critical vaccination activities in 24 high-risk countries. This leaves more children vulnerable to contracting the disease, and exposes polio-free countries to the risk of re-emergence.

"All our efforts are at risk until all children are fully immunized against polio – and that means fully funding the global eradication effort and reaching the children we have not yet reached," said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. "We have come so far in the battle against this crippling disease. We can now make history – or later be condemned by history for failing."

Full implementation of the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is currently hindered by a critical funding gap of nearly US$1 billion through 2013.

"We are all responsible for creating a polio-free world while we still can," said Chris Elias, president of global development at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
"Achieving this goal is a critical step in protecting all children from vaccine-preventable diseases."


The Global Emergency Action Plan
The global EAP was developed in coordination with new country national emergency plans. The plan builds on India's successes and outlines a range of new strategies and initiatives to better support eradication efforts, including:

    · Intensified focus on worst-performing areas of Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan to increase vaccination coverage by end of 2012 to levels needed to stop transmission; · New approaches tailored to each country to tackle persistent challenges and improve polio vaccination campaign performance; · Heightened accountability, coordination and oversight to ensure success at every level of government and within every partner agency and organization. · Surge of technical assistance and social mobilization capacity.

Working in emergency mode
"We need everyone's commitment and hard work to eradicate polio and cross the finish line," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "It won't be easy, but together we can eradicate polio forever and for everyone."

Already since the start of the year, the GPEI has moved its operations into emergency mode. CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center; UNICEF has officially activated an Interdivisional Emergency Coordinating Committee operating directly under the Deputy Executive Director; and WHO has moved its polio operations to its Strategic Health Operations Centre (SHOC). Such measures are reserved for responding to global health emergencies -- such as the H1N1 pandemic or the 2004 Southeast Asia tsunami -- and will enable a massive surge in technical capacity, real-time tracking of program performance and the immediate implementation of corrective action plans as necessary. Also this year, the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation reaffirmed polio eradication as the organization's most urgent priority. In addition, Rotary senior leaders have launched a series of one-on-one meetings with the heads of state of the polio endemic countries.

Notes for editors:

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is spearheaded by national governments, the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and UNICEF, and supported by key partners including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Since 1988 (the year the GPEI was launched), the incidence of polio has been reduced by more than 99%. In 1988, more than 350,000 children were paralyzed each year in more than 125 endemic countries. In 2012, 55 cases have been reported (as of 15 May 2012), and only three countries remain endemic: Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.



Please find below the opinion of different Pakistani political parties and leaders about Karachi Massacre of Sindhi's by terrorists of  MQM. 

1. PML ( N) MINA NAWAZ SHAREEF CONDEMN KARACHI KILLING AND SAYS THAT TERRORISTS ARE SITTING WITH PPP GOVERNMENT.

2. PML( N) SINDH PRESIDENT SYED GHAUS ALI SHAH SAYS THAT THE DIVISION OF SINDH WILL BE DIVISION OF PAKISTAN, MOHAJIR SOOBA WILL BE CREATED ON THE DEAD BODIES OF MILLIONS OF SINDHI'S.

3.ANP PRESIDENT ASFAND YAAR WALI CONDEMN THE KILLING AND SAYS THAT THESE ARE SAME TERRORISTS WHO WERE INVOLVE IN 12 MAY MASSACRE AND PPP GOVERNMENT IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE GRANTING SHELTER TO TERRORISTS.

4. ANP SENATOR SHAHEE SAYED SAYS THAT ANY ONE WHO DREAM TO DIVIDE SINDH IS A LIVING IN THE WORLD OF STU PITS. MQM LEIS COWARD WHO ARE NOT DEMANDING OPENLY, IF THEY ARE BRAVE, THEY SHOULD COME FORWARD. SINDH WILL BE DIVIDED ON THE DEAD BODIES OF PASHTOUNS, SINDHIS ARE THE REAL OWNERS OF SINDH.

5. JAMAT E ISLAMI CONDEMN THE KILLING OF KARACHI AND SAYS THAT THE TERRORISTS ARE NOT HIDDEN, THEY ARE THE SAME WHO KILLED INNOCENTS ON 12 MAY 2007 AND BURNED LAWYERS ALIVE.

6. PIR PAGARO  SAYS THAT * HUR'R* JAMAAT WILL COME DIRECTLY TO DEFEND SINDH. NO ONE CAN DIVIDE SINDH BY WALL CHALKING.

7.MEHMOOD ACHAKZAI CONDEMN KARACHI KILLING AND HELD MQM RESPONSIBLE.

8. ALL BALOUCH LEADERS CONDEMN KARACHI KILLING AND PROMISE TO DEFEND THE UNITY OF SINDH PRACTICALLY.

9.  PAKISTAN LABOR PARTY AND 
10.COMMUNIST MAZDOOR KISAN PARTY HELD A BIG DDEMONSTRATIONAGAINST KARACHI KILLING AND DEATH OF JSSM LEADER MUZAFAR BHUTTO IN LAHORE. 35 DEMONSTRATORS WERE ARRESTED.

OTHER SIDE............

1. PPP LEADER REHMAN MALIK AND FAUZIA WAHAB CONDEMN RALLY AND HELD THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR INNOCENTS DEATHS.

2. TIP LEADER IMRAN KHAN SAYS THAT HE DON'T KNOW AWAMI TAHREEK OR RASOOL BUX PALIJO AND CAN'T SAY ANY THING ABOUT KILLING BUT HE REGRET THAT ONE CAMERAMEN IS INJURED.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3.PAPAKISTAN'S NUMER ONE HYHYPOCRITE (MUNAFIQ) JOURNALIST
KAMRAN KHAN DID NOT CONDEMN KILLERS BUT TRIED WITH HIS FILTHY ARGUMENTS TO HELD DEMONSTRATORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS KARABALA.
 
GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN
(REVENUE DIVISION)
FEDERAL BOARD OF REVENUE
********

PRESS RELEASE

FBR ATTACHES MOBILINK ACCOUNTS
Islamabad the 24th May, 2012
Pakistan Mobile Communication Ltd (Mobilink) owed Rs. 8.6 billion to the exchequer on account of mis-declaration of Sales Tax and FED. The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal recently upheld the decision of LTU, Islamabad and confirmed the payable tax amount of 8.6 billion rupees.
On receiving the decision of the Tribunal, Syed Ijaz Hussain, Chief Commissioner, LTU, Islamabad formed various teams of officers headed by Commissioner, LTU, Malik Muhammad Ashraf to recover the amount from the company through attachment of Bank accounts, blocking of imports and recovery through suppliers of the company, which include other telecom companies as well as the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
As of today, all Bank Accounts of the Company have been attached and imports blocked accordingly. Further action will be taken by the next working day.


(Riffat Shaheen Qazi)
Member (FATE) /
Official Spokesperson, FBR


--
Mohammad Shahzad
Secretary PR
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)
Islamabad
+92 051 920 8407
+92 333 5201233
http://www.fbr.gov.pk/

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