Polio Vaccination Campaign Launched in East of Afghanistan

Officials of Ministry of Public Health in Nangharhar province launched a polio vaccination campaign in eastern parts of Afghanistan, saying one million children age 0 to 5 year old will be vaccinated by the cooperation of 4480 health workers in Nangarhar, Kunar, Laghman and Nuristan provinces of Afghanistan.

They also said more than 22,000 children deprived from polio vaccination due to the insecurity problems in the previous vaccination drive, but they have reached an agreement with the anti-government insurgents to let the campaign successfully be implemented.

Deputy Chief of Health department in Nangarhar, Muqadasa Maraj said, “One million children will be vaccinated by the 4480 health workers in east part of Afghanistan, where 700,000 kids from Nangarhar are among the current polio vaccination drive, fortunately this time every children will be vaccinated.”

Meanwhile religious scholars called the residents to cooperate with the health workers to vaccinate the children.

Representative of department of Haji and religious of Nangarhar Lalaltan Hemat said, “Polio vaccination will benefit the children, I ask all the families to cooperate the health workers to vaccine the kids age zero up to 5 year old, and there is no restriction in Islam religion that say do not vaccinate.”

In meantime a tribal elder Mohammad Anwar insisted on both male and female kids to be vaccinated.

He said, “No kids should leave behind, polio vaccination should be practiced equally over both male and female kids, if one Child doesn’t receive polio vaccination he/she will be disabled and burden to his/her family for 40 years.”

Based on the Information of the Public Health department of Nangarhar 3 positive cases of polio were registered in Kunar province last year.

Reported by: Lida Naizi