Resistance to Polio Vaccination in Some Muslim Communities and the Actual Islamic Perspectives – A Critical Review

 

Sarfraz Ahmed¹, Nor Hayati Othman¹, Siti Amrah Sulaiman¹, Rao US Mahadeva², Nordin S², Atif Amin Baig²

¹School of Medical Sciences, University Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.

 

ABSTRACT:

Polio vaccination crusade by World Health Organization (WHO) to annihilate the polio from the kyte of world aspiringly has been fruitful; however, there seems some disagreement and hullabaloos by some Muslim communities especially in four countries viz., Pakistan, Nigeria, Afghanistan and India. This hostility has numerous factors involved but the snogging one is the orthodox aptitude towards the polio vaccination drives. In this article, the dispute adjoining the vaccination program against polio by some Muslim groups has been discussed manipulating the views of religious opponents and finally the views of well known religious intellectuals supporting vaccination as a” legalized act” in Islam. In a peer look to reach final; it was concluded that Islam never favors such acts having vital trepidations about humanity and children health. Further, recommendations and suggestions have also been discussed in this article to sojourn these further humdrum embargoes by such groups to save children lives.

 

 

GLOBAL EDGES AGAINST POLIO AND HOSTILITY TO POLIO VACCINATION:

With international efforts against polio, it is reviewed that polio cases have been reduced by over 99% since 1988 to 2009. The vaccination campaigns led by the World Health Organization (WHO) , Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and  UNICEF prospered in almost eradication of the disease globally(1, 2).

 

In 2009 and then 2010, only four countries in the world, viz., Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan remain polio-endemic due to disagreement with vaccination by some Muslim orthodox communities. The tenacious polio transmission in northern India, northern Nigeria and the border line between Pakistan and Afghanistan appears in peril for polio eradication initiatives (3-6). This religious fundamentalism in some tribal areas of Pakistan seems protuberant where Taliban militants have imposed a medical emergency by stopping UN health officials for polio vaccination campaigns. WHO reported that 60% of the refusals in Pakistan were attributed to “religious urgings” and the same beheld in Nigeria (7, 8).

 

While in Afghanistan, the polio-endemic districts previously declared as polio free are located in the southern region of this country lining Pakistani border, going across to tribal areas of Pakistan(6). The Afghan and Pakistani Talibans have denounced fatwas that vaccination is as an act of US- sponsored campaign to induce infertility in Muslims. Islamic extremists in Nigeria hindered the vaccination campaigns; particularly Kano Province of Nigeria was marked as red against polio vaccination in 2003 going in continuity until to now, reporting the infection recurrence in some previously polio-free certified countries in Africa (4, 8). In India, since the early 2000s confirmed cases of polio have been increasing specially amongst Muslim children in several districts of Uttar Pradesh province where Muslims in majority are religiously or ethically invulnerable to vaccination and so far by 2007, around 94% of reported cases belong to Muslim communities (9).

 

VACCINATION RESISTANCE AND ISLAMIC VIEWPOINTS:

In spite of infertility issue, some Islamic scholars, medical associations and extremists have the arguments that polio vaccine is made from monkey kidney cells, pork, fecal matter and live polio virus which are haram at all for Muslims (10). They have also concerns such as the possibility of harmful side-effects of vaccination overloads, religiously prohibited ingredients and having emphasis on the natural development of the immune system. Islam always cares about the welfare of Muslims and humanity in general, thus not encouraging an act that is detrimental to health and welfare of humanity.

 

Anyhow, from a general Islamic jurisprudence perspective, vaccinations in principle at all are permissible and there are various Quranic references and Prophetic narrations which support this view on the facts and grounds that it is a duty upon every Muslim to ward off harm as much as one can (11). Vaccinations are permissible and are recommended based on the principles of prevention of harm and illness ultimately protecting the public good (Isteslah) (12).

 

In response to orthodox vaccination opposition among several others, there are fatwas by a great, famous and most authentic Islamic scholar Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) with Islamic narrations. Once he was asked: What is the ruling on giving treatment before sickness occurs, such as vaccinations? He replied:

 

There is nothing wrong with giving medicine to ward off the feared disease, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah upon him) said, according to the saheeh hadeeth, “Whoever eats seven dates of Madeenah in the morning will not be harmed by witchcraft or poison.” This is a kind of warding off a problem before it happens. So, there is nothing wrong with vaccination, because it is a kind of protection (13).

 

Fataawa by al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, further explained the recent logics against vaccination clearly, with regard to the harm suffered by some vaccinations, namely a short-lived fever or other side-effects, these drawbacks may be overlooked when compared with the great harm that is warded off, namely the diseases that may kill or cause great harm to a person’s health. This is similar to the case of circumcising boys with intense pain that is caused to them; serving the religious interest of purity (tahaarah) and numerous worldly benefits. The general shar’i principle with regard to this matter is that the lesser of two evils may be done in order to ward off the greater evil, if it is necessary to do one of them(13, 14).

 

ANTI-POLIO DRIVES AND FUTURE APPREHENSIONS:

The years of the boycott, polio reoccurrence in some parts of Pakistan, Nigeria, Afghanistan and India urges the demands with recampaigns and to stop the spread of false information. The research and measures should be taken to avoid further embargoes in the future horizon (15-18).

 

CONCLUSION:

Islam as a religion is modern one with progressive views about health. It contravenes every ambiguity about the health cares of individuals regarding vaccination. To eradicate the polio, a challenge to humanity worldwide and especially in the regions plaguing vaccination controversies demands attention. The media campaigns for public awareness and the support of religious scholars with political push up will be an effective tool to stop such further boycotts to save children lives.

 

REFERENCES:

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3.        McNeil, Donald (February 1, 2011). "In Battle against Polio, a Call for a Final Salvo". New York Times. Retrieved 1 Feb 2011.

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6.        Ahmad K. Pakistan struggles to eradicate polio. Lancet Infect Dis. 2007; 7:247. PubMed DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(07)70066-X

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8.        Richarddawkins.net[internet].Washington: The Richard Dawkins Foundation For Reason and Science.c2009- [cited 2008 March 29].Available from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/5057026/Taliban-blocks-UN-polio-treatment-in-Pakistan.html

9.        Daily Times. Health workers boycott polio vaccination in Bajaur Agency. 2007 Feb 20 [cited 2009 Jan 17].Available from http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\02\20\story_20-2-2007_pg7_29.

10.      Chaturvedi, G (2008): The Vital Drop: Communication for Polio Eradication in India (New Delhi: Sage).Duggal, R (2009): “Sinking Flagships and Health Budgets in India”, Economic & Political Weekly, 44(33), 14-17.

11.     Nairaland.com [Internet].Lewis Media: Islam And Polio Vaccine.c2001-2005[cited 2009 Jun 12]. Available from: http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-283078.0.html

12.     Muslimhealthnetwork.org. [Internet]. Child Vaccination In Islam.[ No address and year given]. Available from: http://www.muslimhealthnetwork.org/news_15.shtml

13.      Kamyar M. Hedayat, MD, and Roya Pirzadeh, MD. Issues in Islamic Biomedical Ethics: A Primer for the Pediatrician. Pediatrics 2001;108:965

14.     SalafiTalk.net [Internet]:Fatwaa on vaccines.c2001. Available from:http://www.salafitalk.net/st/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=6&Topic=1597

15.     Talibiddeen Jr. Companion Blog[Internet].[No address given]: Are vaccinations permissible in Islam? Available from: http://talibiddeenjr.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/are-vaccinations-permissible-in-islam/

16.     Odutola A (2004) Nigeria polio, politics and power play. African Networks for Health Research and Development (AFRONETS). Available:http:⁄⁄www.afronets.org/ archive/200401/msg00069.php. Accessed 15 February 2007.

17.     Ayodele Samuel Jegede. Equatorial Guinea: Oil riches, human decline. Life-Net News. Available: http:⁄⁄www.lifenetradio.org/lnnews/ lnn0915.html. Accessed 15 February 2007.

18.     World Health Organization, Regional Committee for Africa (2006) Polio eradication in the African region: Progress report. Available: http:⁄⁄www.afro.who.int/ rc56/documents/ afr_rc56_inf_doc_1_polio_erudication_final. Pdf.

19.      Kimman TG, Boot H (2006) The polio eradication effort has been a great success— Let’s finish it and replace it with something even better. Lancet Infect Dis 6: 675–678. 

 

 

 

 

Received on 25.03.2014          Modified on 08.04.2014

Accepted on 12.04.2014         © RJPT All right reserved