Lola Corrales, entrevista diario EL PAÍS. 30-07-2002

Sanidad cifra en 36.000 los posibles casos del síndrome pospolio.

Por primera vez un organismo de la Administración, el Instituto de Salud Carlos III, ha reconocido el problema del síndrome pospolio. El informe se ha realizado en respuesta a una moción del Congreso, y tiene que ser aprobado por el Consejo Interterritorial del Sistema Nacional de Salud, según fuentes del Ministerio de Sanidad.

La asociación también considera que 'con el informe se rompe por fin el silencio de la Administración'. Como ejemplo de este olvido oficial, Corrales muestra una carta enviada el 27 de julio de 2001 a la entonces ministra de Ciencia y Tecnología, Anna Birulés, pidiéndole una entrevista, y la respuesta del 4 de septiembre en el que 'por problemas de agenda' se rechazó la reunión.

Aun sin conocer los detalles del informe, Corrales valoró que en él 'se confirma todo lo que nosotros venimos afirmando desde que organizamos la asociación, hace dos años'. 'La pena es que en este tiempo se ha perdido la oportunidad de impulsar un programa de investigación europeo aprovechando la presidencia española de la UE [que acabó el 30 de junio pasado]', añade la presidenta de la asociación.

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ASOCIACIÓN AFECTADOS DE POLIO Y SÍNDROME POST-POLIO

LOLA CORRALES- POLIO AND POST-POLIO SYNDROME

Lola Corrales was born in Madrid, Spain in August 1958. Lola suffered of polio at the age of 13 months, during an epidemic.

She was not vaccinated, because Franco's dictatorship (1939-1975) only used Salk anti polio vaccine for rich and friends of the Government, but not for the rest of the population. Besides, Franco's dictatorship was the opinion “Salk vaccine is not good, because cause polio”.

In autumn 1998, Lola Corrales knew through internet about the post-polio syndrome, since the Spanish Administration (the Ministry of Health, among others), although already knew the existence of the Post-Polio Syndrome, kept silence about it. Afterwards she worked one and a half year with a polio survivors group.

Asociación Afectados de Polio y Síndrome Post-Polio was established by Lola Corrales and eight other polio survivors in February 2000. Since then, the Association has achieved national dimension and has changed the lives of many people with polio.

We have addressed several proposals to the Spanish Parliament, as well as several written questions to the Council and Commission of the EU. Furthermore interviews in television, radio and newspapers, all related to the polio and post-polio syndrome.

In December 2003, we have also filed a criminal complaint before the Criminal Court in Madrid, regarding felony for intentional injury that brings about the polio and post-polio syndrome, which was admitted by the Trial Court, having appreciated indications of crime. After a lengthy process, in April 2008, the Provincial Court of Madrid decided the provisional dismissal and file of the case, but mentioning the important historical information contained in the complaint.

Several members of the Association, have individually filed complaints before the National Court, Supreme Court, Constitutional Court and European Court of Human Rights.

Since 2000, Lola Corrales is President of the Asociación Afectados de Polio y Síndrome Post-Polio.

www.postpolioinfor.org