Update: Polio this week – As of 15 May 2013
Global Polio Eradication Initiative
http://www.polioeradication.org/Dataandmonitoring/Poliothisweek.aspx

[Editor’s extract and bolded text]
–       The Taliban in Afghanistan have released a statement supporting health programmes in the country, with particular reference to polio vaccination campaigns. The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes this statement, notes the request to respect local conditions, and supports all efforts to protect the children of Afghanistan from polio and other diseases. [see below]
–       A wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case has been confirmed in Somalia, the first in the country since 2007. Outbreak response activities have been launched. Please see ‘Horn of Africa’ section below for more.

Nigeria
–       Four new WPV cases were reported in the past week (WPV1s from Borno, Kano, Taraba and Yobe), bringing the total number of cases for 2013 to 22. The cases from Borno and Taraba are the most recent WPV cases in the country, both with onset of paralysis on 24 April.

Pakistan
–       Two new WPV cases were reported in the past week (WPV1s from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – KP, and Federally Administered Tribal Areas – FATA), bringing the total number of WPV cases for 2013 to eight. The case from FATA is the most recent WPV case in the country (and the first WPV from FATA in 2013), and had onset of paralysis on 24 April.
–       Two new positive environmental samples were confirmed this week, WPV1s from Gadap, Sindh (collected 11 April) and Peshawar, KP (collected 12 April). This year, 16 environmental samples positive for WPV1 have been reported (of which 11 were collected in Peshawar and Hyderabad, Sindh).
–       The security situation continues to be monitored closely, in consultation with law enforcement agencies. Immunization activities continue to be implemented, in some areas staggered or postponed, depending on the security situation at the local level.

Horn of Africa
–       One new WPV case was reported in the past week (WPV1 from Banadir, Somalia), with onset of paralysis on 18 April. It is the first WPV in Somalia since March 2007. It is the first outbreak outside of an endemic country in 2013.
–       The child is a 32-month-old girl from Banadir region.
–       In large areas of south-central Somalia, immunization campaigns have not been implemented since 2009 due to inaccessibility, affecting more than 500,000 children aged <5 years. Populations in this area are at particular risk of this polio outbreak. This is also the area affected by an ongoing cVDPV2 outbreak, which has resulted in 18 cases in the country since 2009 (most recent cVDPV2 case had onset of paralysis on 9 January 2013).

WHO: Afghanistan Taliban’s ‘Declaration regarding Polio Eradication’
13 May 2013
Supporting efforts which work “for the health care of the helpless people of our country”

“The Taliban in Afghanistan have released a statement supporting all health programs in the country, with particular reference to polio vaccination campaigns. WHO welcomes this statement, notes the request to respect local conditions, and supports all efforts to protect the children of Afghanistan from polio and other diseases.
Full text of the statement:

   According to the latest international medicine science, the polio disease can only be cured by preventive measures i.e. the anti-polio drops and the vaccination of children against this disease.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan supports and lends a hand to all those programs which works for the health care of the helpless people of our country. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan advises in the existing war situation of the country to the campaigning organizations i.e. WHO and UNICEF to employ unbiased people in the region. The foreign employees should refrain from going to the region and similarly the campaign should be harmonized with the regional conditions, Islamic values and local cultural traditions. In case of compliance with these rudiments, all the associated workers (Mujahidin) of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan are directed, not to create any kind of trouble for them, rather they should be provided with all necessary support.
    Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 

http://www.polioeradication.org/Mediaroom/Newsstories/Newsstories2013/tabid/488/iid/296/Default.aspx