The Afghanistan Health Ministry on Monday announced that Afghanistan has begin another polio vaccination campaign to protect over 5.3 million children under 5.
The Ministry spokesman, Dr Sharafat Zaman said in a statement that the three-day campaign which is the fifth this year will cover 11 of the country’s 34 provinces
The official urged religious scholars, community elders, parents and other influential figures in society to support the campaign in order to protect the children from polio.
According to the officials the disease can cause paralysis and death.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the repatriation of Afghan migrants from neighbouring Pakistan had increased the risk of polio spreading.
It said that since then, Afghanistan had conducted several rounds of vaccinations, in spite of significant efforts, the country had recorded 23 polio cases this year
According to the WHO a total of six cases were recorded in the country in 2023.
Vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan often face challenges due to conspiracy theories that polio vaccines cause infertility or that vaccinators are spies.
Before seizing power again in August 2021, the Taliban had banned door-to-door vaccinations in areas they controlled.
However, the United Nations successfully negotiated with them to resume the nationwide vaccination programme after their return to power.
