Nigeria Boycotts Polio Vaccination Drive

Associated Press ^ | Feb. 22, 2004

[Unam Sanctam]

Sticking to its position that the polio vaccine is a U.S. plot against Muslims, an overwhelmingly Islamic northern Nigerian state declared Sunday it would boycott an emergency immunization campaign being launched to stop the crippling outbreak that is spreading across west and central Africa.

The announcement from Kano state came on the eve of a World Health Organization campaign to immunize 63 million children in 10 African nations as the polio outbreak spreads from northern Nigeria into countries where the disease had been eradicated.

Kano and two other predominantly Islamic Nigerian states have banned the polio vaccine since October. Islamic leaders there say the vaccine is part of a U.S. plot to kill off Nigeria's Muslims, by spreading the AIDS virus or agents that cause sterility.

State officials there say their lab tests have found estrogen and other female sex hormones in the polio vaccine -- proof, they say, that the vaccines are contaminated.

``Kano state will not participate in tomorrow's polio campaign. Our team made the discovery of contaminants first, remember,'' state government spokesman Sule Ya'u Sule told The Associated Press.

``Unless we are convinced by our committee (of health experts) that the oral polio vaccines are safe, the exercise remains suspended in Kano state,'' Sule said.

Since October, residents have turned away volunteers who tried to administer the oral vaccine house-to-house to toddlers and infants in the three northern states despite the ban. Homeowners reportedly set dogs upon the volunteers.

Kano had been expected to block the emergency campaign.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

I say let nature take it's course.

The religion of hate and fear will self destruct in the Darwinian model unless we help it survive.

[Coroner]

"US plot against muslims"
Sabin and Salk were both Jews. We need to do this with more vaccines and all medications. Spread the word!!!

[BIGZ]

These are the people that, Clinton and Carter negotiated with and with whom Kerry and Carter want to solve our problems with talk.

God help us.

[Savage Beast]

Satan is pleased. His worshippers spread the evil of polio.

[Condor51]

Well... since it's still BLACK HISTORY MONTH, I think we're supposed embrace this line of 'logic' and... CELEBRATE DIVERSITY!!!

Oh, and is this more of that 'rich african heritage' we keep hearing about? Or is that only the tribal wars where they chop each other up with machetes? It all gets SO confusing at times?!?!?

[Former Proud Canadian]

Exactly. These people want to live in the 14th century. Let them.

[Tacis]

I bet that the memos that the Senate dems are trying to hide actually reveal the fact that this vacine is made from old used pork stuff. How did these Nigeria Muslims ever find out about that? Their higest paid source in the US government is, of course, Carol Moseley-Braun.

Let's hope that they never find out what kind of stuff the dems put in some of the other vacinnes/drugs that they buy, especially from some of the "covers" in Europe!

[Porterville]

This is so sad and some on this post reflect poorly on FR with their sick weak little comments. Beneath the dog crap on the sole of my steel toed boot.

[Porterville]

That is not funny and I hope you are joking.

[cajungirl]

It is pitiable that these people's children will die because of their paranoid mistrust of the West. And those in this country to contribute to that attitude by talkiing about how we haven't understood these people enough, etc, are contributing to the deaths of children.

[Porterville]

Its their religious and poitical leaders trying to score point and control the direction of the popular opinion at the cost of human lives.... it is disgusting.

[Gunrunner2]

Agreed.

Let's test Darwin's survival theory. . .

[Prodigal Son]

The world is an ugly place.

[JohnBovenmyer]

Stop biting off your own nose to spite them. We (some western governments and a lot of private effort from groups like the Rotary Club International) aren't trying to eradicate polio just to save THEIR kids, we are also trying to save OUR kids. If we can finish this polio will be gone. Most likely gone forever as recreating it, unlike smallpox, wouldn't make for a very effective weapon. The world could stop vaccinating for it, ending the small numbers of cases caused by the vaccine ending the fear of one of nature's crueler diseases. Yes, they have some stupid ideas in parts of Nigeria and human stupidity remains one of the most dangerous things man has created. Your approach is to let the stupidity win. Instead we should have Muslims with sane thoughts, on this issue at least, keep pushing forward in Nigeria. Don't let us suffer for their stupidity.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Your approach is to let the stupidity win. Instead we should have Muslims with sane thoughts, on this issue at least, keep pushing forward in Nigeria. Don't let us suffer for their stupidity.

Sometimes the best cure for sour apples is for them to drop and rot on the ground.

Maybe there is hope for the next crop.