Road blocks prevent polio drive in Ghor, Badghis

FIROZKOH (Pajhwok): Public health officials in western Ghor and Badghis provinces say the polio vaccination drive could not be carried out in some districts of the provinces due to cold weather and road blockades.

Dr. Abdul Latif Rahimi, Ghor public health director, talking to Pajhwok Afghan News, said, "In Ghor province, 211,000 children are deprived of the polio vaccine. We will implement all polio campaigns in March, God willing. The main problem in Ghor province is that the roads are blocked and we cannot deliver the vaccine to remote areas on time.

On the other hand, Wahid Rahmani, in charge of implementing the polio vaccine in the west of the country, says that besides Ghor children, kids of BalaMurghab and Badghis provinces also deprived of the second round of polio drive.

As the weather gets better and commuting routes open, polio vaccine campaigns would be implemented in the two provinces, he added.

"Unfortunately, in Ghor province, we have not been able to implement the polio campaign for two rounds due to cold and stormy weather; Hopefully, in the next round, we will be able to provide immunity services, particularly polio vaccine in these areas,” he said.

On the other hand, a number of Ghor residents asked health officials to act as soon as possible and launch polio vaccination campaign in the province.

Noor Mohammad, a resident of Ghor province, said, "Unfortunately, the polio campaign could not be launched in Ghor province this year and children who have not been vaccinated are undoubtedly at risk of polio disease. We hope officials concerned would take action and launch a polio vaccination campaign in areas which are deprived of the vaccine.”

Health officials in the western zone of the country say Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where one positive polio case surfaced in Paktika province this year.

mds/ma