India's Muslim communities out to beat polio 

The Muslim community in northern India, which bears a disproportionate burden of polio cases in the country, has stepped up efforts to protect its children in the current window of opportunity to end polio in India. This photo essay gives a glimpse into just two of the many events that have taken place since the beginning of the year  to remind communities in Uttar Pradesh that the only way to protect children from polio is vaccination. Uttar Pradesh is one of only two states in India that have never stopped poliovirus.

In March, 200 people in Uttar Pradesh set out on a 260-km religious march. Dedicated to a Muslim Sufi saint, this procession is held annually; this year, organizers chose polio eradication as the theme of the march. Prayers were held for the eradication of polio, and the marchers passed through some of the most challenging polio-infected districts of Uttar Pradesh - Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly - carrying banners marked "Let us pray for the eradication of polio."

Spectators and worshippers gathered for the march read appeals from religious leaders reminding parents of their religious duty to protect their children. Some of the banners on the march read, "Make sure you give polio vaccine to all children". More 

 Hajjis, pilgrims who have returned from Mecca, have gone house to house with vaccinators to reassure parents who have have hesitated to have their children vaccinated. Religious institutions have also taken leadership on going the final step to end polio in India. During the Friday sermons in Muzaffarnagar, over three-quarters of the mosques informed parents of upcoming immunization days. 

This group of teachers from Islamic schools in J. P. Nagar creates placards and banners for a polio eradication rally in February. 

Students from Islamic schools in J.P. Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, make their way through town in a polio eradication rally. In Muzaffarnagar, 85% of such madrasas organized rallies for polio eradication. Muslim celebrities such as Bollywood actor Farooq Shaikh travelled to Uttar Pradesh to voice their support for communities battling polio. More