Pak claims progress in fight against polio

Pakistan today claimed it was winning the war against polio as for the first time in its history all the previous month's environmental samples for the highly contagious disease have tested negative.
"It is major achievement but we would need consistency in samples in coming months before complete eradication of poliovirus," said Rana Muhammad Safdar of National Institute of Health.
A total of 40 samples were collected from 14 cities in mid-April and examined by experts, he said.
Safdar said major national wide anti-polio efforts were showing results. So far only 11 polio cases have been reported against 54 last year and 306 in 2014.

Pakistan's anti-polio efforts were hampered by militants who have killed about 100 medical workers and their security escorts since 2012.
Rebels allege that polio vaccination was veiled effort by the west to sterile Muslims.
Pakistan is the only polio-endemic country.