Friday, June 8, 2012

Unintended Consequences / Vaccination Struggles

So it appears vaccination coverage isn't just a developed country problem and docs across the world are dealing with some of the exact same problems:  rumors swaying public opinion.

Whether is is the (completely discredited) connection between MMR vaccines and Autism or now the connection that Pakistanis are making between polio vaccination campaigns and foreign spies, these stories are hurting those kids who are getting ill with preventable diseases.

Take a look at this CNN article for the whole story (video included).  In a nutshell, the local media highly published a story that the US was (in part) able to gain access to the Bin Laden compound through a fake vaccination scheme and this has since engendered massive distrust of vaccination initiatives.  Perhaps the greatest tragedy in this case is Pakistan is one of several countries where polio is still endemic, so failed vaccination campaigns mean kids will grow up paralyzed.  Pretty heavy consequences indeed.