According to the Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health, the fifth round of the polio immunization campaign in Afghanistan began today, June 27th.
The process of administering vaccinations will be carried out until Thursday, according to the Taliban health officials.
The polio eradication department’s Wali Shah Momin expressed optimism that the vaccination drive, like previous polio immunization campaigns will be able to administer vaccines to up to 9.9 million children.
“We will launch a nationwide polio immunization campaign this week from Monday to Thursday”, Momin said. “In Paktika province, however, the process would start later due to the earthquake.”
During the nationwide 4-day polio campaign, 9.9 million children under the age of 5 will be targeted.
In the previous polio immunization campaign, which was held for 5 days starting from 23rd May, in addition to the polio vaccine, vitamin A supplementation was also administered.
Since the start of the year, Paktika province has recorded one confirmed case of polio. According to the Taliban government’s Ministry of Public Health, the number was only 4 in all of Afghanistan last year.
With the exception of Afghanistan, and Pakistan, polio has been completely eradicated worldwide.
Polio is a serious, incurable viral disease that can only be prevented with immunization. The condition renders children permanently disabled.
