The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that the second round of the Polio Vaccine Campaign for children has commenced in six provinces of Afghanistan.
The organization released a statement on its website on Monday, saying that this campaign has been initiated in five provinces in the northern region and one in the southern region.
The organization has requested the public to cooperate with vaccinators to ensure children’s vaccination.
It is worth mentioning that Jawzjan, Sar-e Pol, Balkh, Faryab, Uruzgan, and Samangan are the provinces included in the second round of the polio vaccine campaign.
Meanwhile, the first round of the polio vaccine campaign had already started last Tuesday across all provinces except for the six Northern provinces.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the last remaining countries where children are still affected by the polio virus. Despite global efforts to eradicate this highly contagious disease, these two countries face significant challenges in completely eliminating polio transmission.
The persistence of polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan can be attributed to a combination of factors, including geographical barriers, political instability, and difficulties in reaching remote and conflict-affected areas. This ongoing situation emphasizes the need for sustained international collaboration and comprehensive measures to protect children in these regions from the debilitating effects of polio.
Furthermore, the World Health Organization had previously reported registering five new polio cases in Afghanistan.
