Today's Edition
Islamabad (dpa)
Afghanistan has launched another polio vaccination campaign aimed at protecting more than 6.2 million children under the age of 5, the Health Ministry announced on Monday.
The three-day campaign - the fourth this year - will cover 16 of the country's 34 provinces, ministry spokesman Dr Sharafat Zaman said in a statement.
The official urged religious scholars, community elders, parents and other influential figures in society to support the campaign and protect children from polio, a debilitating disease that can lead to paralysis and death.
A previous polio vaccination campaign in September was postponed amid discussions about shifting the strategy from house-to-house to site-to-site in parts of the country.
In December, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the repatriation of Afghan migrants from neighbouring Pakistan has increased the risk of polio spreading. Since then, Afghanistan has conducted several rounds of vaccinations.
