Anti-Polio Campaign Launches in Afghanistan to Protect 6.3 million Children
The Afghan interim government’s Ministry of Public Health announced the launch of a four-day anti-polio vaccination campaign aimed at protecting nearly 6.3 million children under the age of five from the deadly poliovirus.
Kabul: The Afghan interim government’s Ministry of Public Health announced the launch of a four-day anti-polio vaccination campaign aimed at protecting nearly 6.3 million children under the age of five from the deadly poliovirus. The campaign commenced on Monday and will run through Thursday, covering 16 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.
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Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, urged support from tribal elders, religious leaders, and parents to ensure the success of the campaign. He emphasized the importance of collaboration in effectively delivering the polio vaccines to children in remote areas.
Polio Case Reported in Badghis Province
The vaccination campaign follows a recent report of a polio case in the western Badghis province. Health authorities confirmed the positive case, underscoring the urgency of the immunization efforts in the country. Afghanistan, alongside neighboring Pakistan, remains one of the last two polio-endemic countries in the world.
Despite the concerted efforts by the polio program over the years, Afghanistan has struggled to eradicate the virus entirely. The increasing number of polio cases in recent years reflects the challenges in reaching the final remaining pockets of unvaccinated children. There is also a growing concern as poliovirus spreads to regions that had previously been free of the disease.
Polio Eradication: A Global Challenge
Polio, a highly infectious viral disease, primarily affects children under five and can lead to paralysis. The virus is spread through person-to-person contact, mainly via the faecal-oral route or contaminated food and water sources. Once in the body, it can invade the nervous system and cause irreversible paralysis.
In 1988, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution calling for the global eradication of polio, leading to the creation of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). This initiative is supported by international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
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Since the initiative’s inception, polio cases worldwide have decreased by over 99%, from an estimated 350,000 cases in 125 endemic countries to just six cases reported in 2021. However, Afghanistan and Pakistan still face significant challenges in eliminating polio entirely.
As the campaign continues throughout this week, health officials hope to make significant progress in the fight against polio in Afghanistan, bringing the country closer to its goal of eradicating the disease once and for all.
