The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has announced that in the latest round of vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, 12.7 million children have been vaccinated against poliomyelitis (polio). The agency said in a statement on Friday, October 30, that efforts to completely eradicate the disease throughout the country are ongoing.
UNICEF added that Afghanistan is one of only two countries in the world where the wild poliovirus is still endemic. The agency praised the cooperation of the Taliban government, health workers, and local leaders in the successful implementation of this campaign. However, reaching all children in remote and insecure areas remains a challenge.
This announcement comes as the United Nations recently reported the identification of six new cases of polio in Afghanistan. With the registration of these new cases, the total number of people infected with the disease in the country since the beginning of the current calendar year has reached 42. Most of these cases have been recorded in the eastern provinces of the country.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not yet been completely eradicated. Although significant progress has been made in combating the disease in recent years, insecurity, misinformation about vaccines, and cultural restrictions still create obstacles to its complete eradication.
Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects children under five years of age. The virus attacks the nervous system and can cause permanent paralysis within hours. There is no cure for the disease, but it can be effectively prevented with repeated vaccination.
The World Health Organization and its partners are committed to continuing their support for vaccination programs in Afghanistan and Pakistan until polio is completely eradicated. They urge all families to ensure their children receive the polio vaccine in every campaign round.
Source: UNICEF
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