WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION MEMBER STATES HEAPED PRESSURE ON NIGERIA ON WEDNESDAY TO COMBAT A POLIO OUTBREAK IN ITS NORTHERN REGION THAT THREATENS GLOBAL EFFORTS TO WIPE OUT THE CRIPPLING DISEASE, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. NIGERIA HAS SEEN ITS POLIO INFECTION RATE TRIPLE THIS YEAR, MAKING IT THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD WHERE THE CONTAGIOUS VIRUS CONTINUES TO THRIVE. FIVE OF ITS NORTHERN STATES ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY 70 PERCENT OF GLOBAL POLIO CASES. AT THE WHO'S ANNUAL ASSEMBLY IN GENEVA, WHICH PROCEEDED ON A MARKEDLY SOMBRE NOTE AFTER THE SUDDEN DEATH OF DIRECTOR-GENERAL LEE JONG-WOOK ON MONDAY, COUNTRY AFTER COUNTRY CALLED FOR URGENT ACTION TO BRING NIGERIAN POLIO UNDER CONTROL. PAKISTAN, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN REGION, WHICH INCLUDES MUCH OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, SAID MANY COUNTRIES WERE "EXTREMELY WORRIED" ABOUT IMPORTING THE POLIO VIRUS, WHICH CAN CAUSE LIFE-LONG PARALYSIS IN CHILDREN. "THIS THREAT WILL REMAIN AS LONG AS THE SITUATION REMAINS AS IT IS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA," IT TOLD A COMMITTEE OF WHO MEMBERS, WHICH ON WEDNESDAY BACKED A RESOLUTION URGING ENDEMIC COUNTRIES TO ACT ON THEIR COMMITMENTS TO ERADICATE THE SCOURGE. NIGERIA IS ONE OF FOUR COUNTRIES THAT HAS NEVER MANAGED TO STAMP OUT THE VIRUS, ALONG WITH INDIA, AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN, THOUGH INFECTIONS IN THE LATTER THREE COUNTRIES HAVE WANED. LOCAL LEADERS IN NIGERIA'S MOSTLY MUSLIM NORTH SUSPENDED VACCINATIONS FOR ABOUT A YEAR FROM MID-2003 OVER FEARS THE DRUGS CAUSED STERILITY OR AIDS. AS MANY AS 40 PERCENT OF CHILDREN IN THE REGION ARE STILL NOT GETTING THE ORAL VACCINE. --MORE
