Standing in the Way of Progress

According to this report [link via Wikipedia], by December 20 of this year, there were a total of 1670 cases of poliovirus in the world. The top four countries had a whopping 1513 cases. These four nations subscribe to the Religion That Must Not Be Named.

Abbagav points out why Nigeria is the top culprit.

... an immunisation programme has been put on hold because of claims by Muslim clerics that the vaccine is being deliberately contaminated as part of a western plot.

Yup, it's always some Western plot. For example, there is an area in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan where folks don't even allow Pakistani aid workers to enter because they are afraid of spies or they fear that the Western medicine will make them impotent. This same area has markets where hashish is sold right next to AKs. So, understandably these places are left alone. Would you want to say hello to their little friends?

A small story from personal experience: Many year ago in Pakistan, likely in 1995, I came across a conversation between my aunt and family. She was talking about a non-Pakistani woman who came to a place near her mosque to teach the women about birth control. As a I wrote earlier:

She said that the Westerners were afraid of Muslims. This talk of birth control was a scheme by the Westerners to keep the number of Muslims low in the world.

Think about that. Some Western woman left her family and friends, likely against their wishes, to help the Pakistani society. Yet, instead of thanking her, the Muslims accuse her of a diabolical plot. For Muslims like these, the West by definition can't do any good.

By the way, this aunt had seven kids.