NUSPEAK

SUMMARY:
The DOH sees a high risk for transmission of poliovirus, the virus that causes poliomyelitis or
polio, because of low vaccination coverage, poor early surveillance of polio symptoms, and
substandard sanitation practices. The DOH added that the surveillance on acute flaccid paralysis
(AFP) had been consistently poor.• Acute flaccid paralysis, according to the World Health
Organization (WHO) is a sudden onset of paralysis or weakness in any part of the body of a child
less than 5 years of age.• The WHO says AFP surveillance is important as it helps detect paralytic
poliomyelitis due to wild poliovirus transmission in [a given] population. There are many causes
of AFP, so each AFP needs to be evaluated to find out if the paralysis is due to polio or not.

POSITIVE EFFECTS:
-We are warned ahead of time of this matter
-prevent it because prevention is better than a cure.
- Some municipalities are already acting on the case through immunization of children

NEGATIVE EFFECTS:
- The DOH and WHO is right with regards to improving sanitation all throughout the Philippines
since areas not sanitized are usually breeding grounds and hot spots for diseases and bacteria.
-Polio could come back and cause a nation-wide endemic if the government turns a blind eye
-prone to losing a Polio-free country and have the virus revived after 19 years
-many children living in substandard areas will most likely get the disease due to poor sanitation

OPINION:
My opinion on the news is that we should support the DOH's campaign to have a high alert on
polio and we should promote the Zero Open Defecation program. The DOH and WHO is right
with regards to improving sanitation all throughout the Philippines since areas not sanitized are
usually breeding grounds and hot spots for diseases and bacteria. They should also launch a
massive campaign educating the people to take care of the well-being and health.

Polio was eradicated around October in the year 2000, but I believe it could come back and cause
a nation-wide endemic if the government turns a blind eye or just shelf up this warning from
WHO and DOH. I would like to commend as well Manila City for starting their Polio vaccines right
away.

Municipalities in the PH should start free immunization programs