A four-day polio vaccination campaign started yesterday (Monday, 30 Asad) in 28 provinces.

The Ministry of Public Health said that more than 11 million children under the age of five will be vaccinated in this campaign. 

“In all provinces of the country a national campaign has started but in the northern zone, in some provinces, a national campaign will start in a week. In the campaign, God willing, nearly eleven million children will be vaccinated,” said Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health.

Meanwhile, the employees of the polio vaccination program in the country are asking families to cooperate with the health workers in the field of vaccination. 

“Some of them don't bring the children, sometimes we stay behind the gate for hours, they don't even know if we knock on their gate or not, we ask them to bring their children for the vaccine,” said Karima, a volunteer employee.

We request the respected families to know the value of the vaccine, and that the polio vaccine is beneficial for their children,” said Sayed Rohullah, a supervisor. 

Meanwhile, a number of Kabul residents are happy with the launch of this campaign and asked the Ministry of Public Health to pay serious attention to eradicating polio from the country.

“We call on the Public Health Ministry to pay serious attention to the polio vaccine to avoid polio in children,” said Sajida, a Kabul resident. 

“In all areas where information is not available or there are not many facilities, the campaign should be carried out so that our children can be saved from this deadly disease that causes polio,” said Khalil Rahman, a Kabul resident.

Five positive cases of polio have been registered in Afghanistan since the beginning of this year. But the Ministry of Public Health said that it has plans to eradicate the disease in the country.