Nationwide Polio Immunization Drive Begins
March 5, 2006
Kabul –
A massive vaccination effort began Sunday to end polio in Afghanistan, Agence France-Presse reported.
“Tens of thousands of health workers and volunteers across the country kicked off a three-day campaign expected to immunize more than 7.2 million children under the age of five against the crippling disease, officials said.”
Taliban violence has previously interfered with such immunization programs. In the last two years, the immunization effort has been able to reach every province. Since 1997, when the program began, the number of polio cases has dropped, but in the last year that number has started to creep back up again.
Health ministry advisor Abdullah Fahim told AFP, he hopes Afghanistan will be the first among Nigeria, India, and Pakistan (the other three countries where polio is endemic) to be polio free. Click here to read the rest of the story.
Kabul –
A massive vaccination effort began Sunday to end polio in Afghanistan, Agence France-Presse reported.
“Tens of thousands of health workers and volunteers across the country kicked off a three-day campaign expected to immunize more than 7.2 million children under the age of five against the crippling disease, officials said.”
Taliban violence has previously interfered with such immunization programs. In the last two years, the immunization effort has been able to reach every province. Since 1997, when the program began, the number of polio cases has dropped, but in the last year that number has started to creep back up again.
Health ministry advisor Abdullah Fahim told AFP, he hopes Afghanistan will be the first among Nigeria, India, and Pakistan (the other three countries where polio is endemic) to be polio free. Click here to read the rest of the story.
posted by Anonymous @ 3/06/2006 04:45:00 PM
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