6 polio cases emerge in southeastern zone

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Six polio cases have been reported in the southeastern zone after a long time, public health officials say, expressing their concern about the cases. They said five of the cases were detected in Khost and one in Paktika province.

Dr Habib, an official at the Immunization Regional Office, said he was in touch with the Public Health Ministry and provincial officials to prevent an increase in polio cases.

He said some people were reluctant to vaccinate their children based on various rumors but religious scholars of Deoband, Jerusalem , Afghanistan, Pakistan and some other religious institutions had issued fatwas in this regard.

He said polio vaccine was imported to Afghanistan from Indonesia and India.  “Polio has been eradicated from all over the world, with only Afghanistan and Pakistan remaining.”

Dr. Walaat Khan Ahmadzai, head of the department, told Pajhwok Afghan News about 40,000 children in Zurmat, Rohani Baba and Jani Khel districts were still unvaccinated against polio.

“We told them that the polio vaccine is administered door-to-door, but the Taliban say it should be given to children in clinics, which is a big reason. Currently, all our teams in Paktia are working in all areas.”
The last case of polio in Paktia was reported in 2013.

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