The Taliban took measures during the demonstration, and women participated in Kabul to support the Taliban.
Bilal Guler/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
A senior official said that Afghanistan launched a nationwide polio immunization campaign on Monday-the first since the Taliban returned to power-aimed at protecting about 10 million unvaccinated children from this. Violations of serious diseases.
The head of the program, Gula Khan Ayub, told AFP that the campaign aims to reach children under the age of five, including about 4 million in previously inaccessible areas.
Before returning to power in August, the Taliban banned polio vaccination teams in parts of the country.
The Taliban leaders told the communities in their controlled areas that the vaccine was a Western conspiracy aimed at sterilizing Muslim children.
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“This time, we hope to reach areas where vaccination activities were not possible in the past. It is still difficult, but we are hopeful,” Ayub said.
“This time we did have the full support of the Taliban leadership. Female vaccinators can also work side by side with male colleagues.”
Ayub said that during the campaign period, children will also be provided with additional doses of vitamin A.
Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan are the only countries where poliovirus is still endemic.
The United Nations Health and Children’s Agency said last month that they have been in dialogue with Taliban leaders to address the country’s severe health challenges.
These agencies stated that the second nationwide polio vaccination campaign has also been agreed and will be carried out in parallel with the campaign in neighbouring Pakistan in December.
