KABUL (Pajhwok): The third phase of anti-polio drive targeting 9.9 million children countrywide was launched on Monday, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) said in a statement.
The statement received by Pajhwok Afghan News said that the campaign was sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
It said 9.9 million children under five years of age would be vaccinated across the country until June 15. A total of 41 positive cases of polio have been detected in various parts of Afghanistan since the beginning of 2021, the statement said.
The ministry said that most of these cases were detected in areas where the vaccination campaign was impossible to implement.
Dr. WaheedMajroh, acting public health minister, said that 3.3 million children were still deprived of anti-polio vaccination in some parts of the country. He asked people to support the ministry in implementing vaccination campaigns and other essential health programs in the country.
“All positive cases have been detected in areas where implementation of anti-polio vaccination is impossible,” he said.
Health experts say the only treatment of polio disease is vaccination and there is no any alternative treatment available.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are countries where polio disease is not fully eradicated.
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