Afghanistan will launch a massive new polio vaccination campaign on December 25 aimed at protecting more than 8.8 million children, the Health Ministry announced on December 24. The campaign will last four days, but will be extended to one week in 42 districts in the eastern part of the country where the risk of the wild virus is very high, the ministry added. Children under the age of 10 will be vaccinated in these areas too, while elsewhere the age cap for the vaccine is 5. The number of positive cases recorded this year is concerning, the ministry said.
Afghanistan Launches Massive Polio Vaccination Campaign
An Afghan health worker administers polio vaccine drops to children during a polio vaccination campaign in Kandahar.