The Joint Afghanistan-Pakistan Eminent Ulema Conference for Supporting Polio Eradication commenced today (Sunday) at Sheraton Hotel.

The Conference inaugurated by H.E. Dr. Darweesh bin Saif Al-Muharbi, Undersecretary of Ministry of Health for Administrative & Financial Affairs in the presence of Sheikh Dr. Kahlan bin Nabhan Al Kharusi, Assistant Grand Mufti along with H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

The two-day Conference, which hosted by the Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Health (MOH), is organized by the Islamic Advisory Group for Polio Eradication from Al Azhar Al Sharif, Dar Al-Ifta Al-Masreya, Darul Uloom Deoband, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Islamic Development Bank.

The Conference touches upon the current situation and challenges of polio eradication, the composition of Oral poliovirus vaccines (OPV), the root causes behind refusals the vaccine and other.

Dr. Al-Muharbi welcomed in his speech the religious scholars and doctors participating in the Conference and stressing the importance of health in development and growth of the communities in the world.

Sheikh Kahlan Al Kharusi affirmed the importance accorded by the Islam to the health and care to raise the individuals and maintain the Muslims generations in terms of healthy and strong builds. He highlighted the importance of community cooperation for the benefit of the human beings, communities and nations.  

H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region stressed that polio is a crippling disease that paralyzes children without the possibility of treatment. He said: "In the past, around 1000 children around the world were infected by the disease every day. But with the development of a safe vaccine that was used to vaccinate every child worldwide, we have succeeded in bringing polio to the brink of eradication. A 99.9% decline in polio cases has already been achieved since the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was launched in 1988. Over 1.5 million child deaths have been averted through the administration of Vitamin A during polio vaccination campaign. We have witnessed only nine polio cases so far this year: three in Afghanistan and six in Pakistan".   

He also added "the ministers of health of the 22 countries of the Region expressed concern about the persistence of polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Therefore, we gathered here to explore how your joint voices and guidance can help the Muslim Ummah end polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and thereby the world".