South Asia

 
Published: Saturday 15 November 2008

Pakistan reports more polio cases: Pakistan reported four polio cases just two days after the much-publicized anti-polio campaign concluded on October 16. Three polio victims are from Punjab and one from the North West Frontier Province. These cases take the number of children incapacitated by the disease this year to 81. Five cases of polio surfaced in the capital city Islamabad, seven in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, 15 in the southern province of Sindh, 22 in Punjab and 32 in nwfp. According to who, 32 polio cases were detected in Pakistan in 2007. The increasing incidences of polio is leading to concerns about the vaccine, with media reports alleging it is of low quality, or that expired vaccines are being used. Immunization officials blame it on the unrest in nwfp and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas that prevented anti-polio vaccination teams from reaching children.

Oil price won't drop in Lanka: As global crude oil price dropped to the lowest level in 16 months, to US $63.34 on October 16, Sri Lanka's petroleum minister A H M Fowzie said the drop would not reflect in the country's fuel prices. When the world prices were high the government did not raise the price for consumers. "Now we are unable to reduce the price until the losses are recovered," he said.

Subscribe to Daily Newsletter :

Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.