A polio vaccination program has been launched in Afghanistan aimed at reaching children in areas previously controlled by Islamic State group militants.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio remains endemic -- a fact blamed on opposition to immunization by Islamist groups, who claim the vaccines are a conspiracy to sterilize Muslims or a cover for spying.
Due to Worsening Security Situation Over 1 Mln Pak Children Go Unvaccinated for Polio
The worsening law, order and security situation during a three-day national polio immunisation campaign has forced over 1.3 million children in Pakistan to miss polio vaccination.
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‘Eight new cases of polio has been reported in the eastern part of Afghanistan in the first half of the year. The cases are believed to have been imported from Pakistan.’
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The latest five-day drive will look to reach about 9.5 million children nationwide, said the health ministry's Sardar Parwiz. Officials are hoping to take advantage of reduced fighting in the east following successes from US-backed military operations.
"We have already started contacting locals in areas retaken from Daesh (IS). We will send our teams to those areas, but if they face any problems, we will ask locals to transport their children to our clinics in safer areas," he said.
![Polio Grasps Another Child In Pakistan]( "Polio Grasps Another Child In Pakistan")
UN official reveals the death of a second child that died after contracted polio due to the banning of polio vaccination by Taliban's there.
Fighters pledging allegiance to the IS group had been in control of several districts in eastern Nangarhar province on the border with Pakistan, before they were pushed out by Afghan and NATO forces.
Last month, Afghan troops backed by US airstrikes seized large parts of the mountainous district of Kot in Nangarhar, a key IS stronghold where the jihadists set up Sharia courts and training camps displaying their trademark black flag.
Najibullah Kamawal, the head of the health department in Nangarhar said some districts had been unreachable for over a year, leaving thousands of children without medical assistance.
"It is a challenge, it is risky, but we are determined to go to every village and vaccinate the kids," he said.
Noorul Habib a teacher in Kot district said that the elders and the local population were determined to support the campaign.
"We know polio is dangerous; we will do our best to support this campaign. All the elders have sent messages to militants not to disrupt the campaign. We have also told them not to destroy mosques, clinics, and schools," he said.
Afghanistan registered eight polio cases, mostly in the eastern part of the country in the first half of the year, according to the ministry of health. Most of them believed to have been imported from Pakistan.
Source: AFP
Polio Grasps Another Child In Pakistan
UN official reveals the death of a second child that died after contracted polio due to the banning of polio vaccination by Taliban's there.
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Fighters pledging allegiance to the IS group had been in control of several districts in eastern Nangarhar province on the border with Pakistan, before they were pushed out by Afghan and NATO forces.
Last month, Afghan troops backed by US airstrikes seized large parts of the mountainous district of Kot in Nangarhar, a key IS stronghold where the jihadists set up Sharia courts and training camps displaying their trademark black flag.
Najibullah Kamawal, the head of the health department in Nangarhar said some districts had been unreachable for over a year, leaving thousands of children without medical assistance.
"It is a challenge, it is risky, but we are determined to go to every village and vaccinate the kids," he said.
Noorul Habib a teacher in Kot district said that the elders and the local population were determined to support the campaign.
"We know polio is dangerous; we will do our best to support this campaign. All the elders have sent messages to militants not to disrupt the campaign. We have also told them not to destroy mosques, clinics, and schools," he said.
Afghanistan registered eight polio cases, mostly in the eastern part of the country in the first half of the year, according to the ministry of health. Most of them believed to have been imported from Pakistan.
Source: AFP
Lack of Security Forces City in Pakistan to Cancel Anti-Polio Campaign
In November 2014, four polio health workers, including three women, were killed when gunmen attacked an anti-polio team in Quetta's Eastern Bypass area.
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 Polio Vaccination Begins at Syria's Yarmuk CampThe UN agency for Palestinian refugees reported the beginning of the polio vaccination in Syria's Yarmuk camp | Advertisement
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