Taliban announces 4-day polio vaccination campaign across 23 provinces of Afghanistan

Kabul [Afghanistan], May 15 : Afghanistan's Taliban-led Ministry of Public Health on Monday announced a four-day polio vaccination campaign across 23 provinces of Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported.

The campaign, which got underway on May 15, intends to immunize 6.4 million kids in 23 provinces of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan on Sunday reported its first death due to poliovirus in 2023 in Nangarhar, reported Tolo News.

The Ministry of Public Health reported two cases of polio in Nangarhar. A spokesman for the Health Ministry, Sharafat Zaman Amerkhail said that these two cases have been reported in the Koot and Batikoot districts of Nangarhar province. One polio-stricken child has died.

"In these two cases, one child is four years old and the other is 11. One of them lost their life," said Amerkhail.

Family members of the child who died in Batikoot district said that one year ago, their child was infected with polio and was paralyzed from the neck down and after severe diarrhoea died in the hospital. The child was named Nazo, reported Tolo News.

"Her neck became paralyzed. She couldn't control it. We took her to the hospital and on the night of Eid she died," said Iqbal Shah, the grandfather of Nazo.

"After this disease (polio), her feet become tiny. Her stomach become acidic, she lost control of her neck and she couldn't digest food," said Zarmina, the mother of Nazo.