ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan will launch an enormous new polio vaccination marketing campaign on Monday aimed toward defending greater than 8.8 million youngsters, the Health Ministry introduced on Sunday, reported German information company (dpa).
The marketing campaign will final 4 days, however will likely be prolonged to one week in 42 districts within the japanese a part of the nation the place the chance of the virus may be very excessive, the ministry added. Children below the age of 10 will likely be vaccinated in these areas, too, whereas elsewhere the age cap for the vaccine is 5.
Recently, the World Health Organisation warned that the repatriation of migrants from neighbouring Pakistan has heightened the chance of spreading the virus.
The Taliban de-facto authorities Health Minister Qalandar Ibaad stated the variety of optimistic instances recorded this yr is regarding. He requested all Afghans, together with dad and mom, to participate within the battle in opposition to the illness.
According to the official figures, not less than six instances of the wild sort of poliovirus had been detected in Afghanistan this yr. Last yr, two instances had been detected nationwide.
Vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan usually encounter difficulties due to conspiracy theories that the polio vaccination causes infertility, or that folks giving the vaccines are spies.
Before seizing energy in August 2021, the Taliban had banned door-to-door vaccinations within the areas they managed. But the UN efficiently negotiated with them to resume the vaccination programme throughout the nation after their return to energy.
Polio is an infectious illness that may trigger paralysis and lead to demise. – eNM, dpa
