KABUL (SW): The spring polio vaccination drive kicked off on Sunday for three days, Ministry of Public Health officials announced.
Ferozuddin Feroz, Minister of Public Health, said the campaign aims at covering 8 million children under the age of 5 in 31 provinces of the country. The Minister added vitamin A pills will be given to toddlers too. “3 new cases of polio are registered since last year, this shows decrease in polio cases compared to previous years”, informed Feroz.
As per the information provided by the Minister, polio vaccination will not take place in Bamyan, Ghor and Daikundi provinces due to the weather conditions. The Minister of Public Health urged all segments of the society to support the polio vaccination drive.
Adele Khodr, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Country Office representative, urged the people of Afghanistan to cooperate with the government. Speaking on the occasion, a number of Islamic scholars called polio vaccination as a sacred duty of all Muslims.
ENDS
