Epstein, dirty money and polio |
I am a big critic of how the polio programme is being executed at the global level and locally in Pakistan. From the top medical journals like Lancet to the editorial pages of this newspaper, I have highlighted critical flaws in the polio eradication strategy and management, and it has cost me many friendships. However, as a public health professional our loyalty lies with the population we serve and not with a person or a specific agency or a donor.
A recently surfaced interview of a convicted child sex offender where he is claiming to support polio eradication programme in both India and Pakistan has ignited once again conspiracy theories about vaccination programmes specifically against polio. The situation is so bad that one of my students told me that his daughter who is a medical student has asked him about the money he has received as he still works in polio. Talking with........