Polio death revives world's attention

The recent death of a polio-stricken 8-year-old Laotian boy has refocused world attention on polio, an ailment now almost extinct in other parts of the world.

The death has drawn the attention of policymakers from the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations as they gather in the nation's capital, Vientiane, for a five-day Ministerial Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication.

A personal tragedy for the boy's family and a deep concern for Laotian health authorities, the death also marks a setback in the global fight against the disease and the attainment of a "polio-free world".