APART from the Taliban ban on the anti-polio campaign in Waziristan, another great hindrance in achieving the goal of polio eradication is an extreme lack of awareness in the rural areas of Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa.

People of small towns have many misconceptions about the polio vaccine.

The mostly uneducated rural population of these areas think that polio vaccine is un-Islamic and actually used to cause weakness in children.

Some people even believe that Jews are using this vaccine to render their male children infertile.

To combat any disease, integrated disease management is the most successful approach that involves the participation of the whole community in the effort.

There is a dire need for creating public awareness about the polio vaccine and its importance in achieving a polio-free Pakistan.

There should be extensive awareness programmes involving not only print and electronic media but also the political leadership.

The most effective way to reach out the rural population is through the local clergy, maulvi and imams.

If the maulvis include this in their Friday's sermon, this will remove the misconception of polio vaccine being un-Islamic from the minds of the local people.

These rural people have more belief in their imam-e-masjid than in any other source. By the participation of local clergy, the anti-polio campaign can be turned into an ultimate success.

MADIHA AHMED FAQIR Bannu