Islamabad, Nov. 25, (dpa/GNA) – Afghanistan has launched another polio vaccination campaign aimed at protecting over 5.3 million children under the age of 5, the Health Ministry announced on Monday.
The three-day campaign – the fifth this year – will cover 11 of the country’s 34 provinces, ministry spokesman Dr Sharafat Zaman said in a statement.
The official urged religious scholars, community elders, parents and other influential figures in society to support the campaign and protect children from polio, a debilitating disease that can lead to paralysis and death.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the repatriation of Afghan migrants from neighbouring Pakistan has increased the risk of polio spreading. Since then, Afghanistan has conducted several rounds of vaccinations.
Despite significant efforts, the country recorded 23 polio cases this year, according to the WHO. A total of six cases were recorded in the country last year.
Vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan often face challenges due to conspiracy theories that polio vaccines cause infertility or that vaccinators are spies.
Before seizing power again in August 2021, the Taliban banned door-to-door vaccinations in areas they controlled. However, the United Nations successfully negotiated with them to resume the nationwide vaccination programme after their return to power.
GNA