KANDAHAR - During a meeting organized at the Public Health Department yesterday, the religious scholars and teachers pledged to play their part in raising public awareness about polio vaccination in southern Kandahar province

Tens of religious scholars, teachers and health workers gathered in Kandahar in order to support the polio vaccination campaign by raising public awareness.

Afghanistan, beside Pakistan and Nigeria, is the only country where polio disease is still endemic.

UN Children Fund (UNICEF) and the UN World Health Organization (WHO) expressed their concerns about the presence of 24 positive cases of polio in the southern region, which indicates that more needs to be done in order to get rid of this problem.

“We have plans under discussion in order to launch awareness campaigns against polio disease and polio vaccination,” stated Dr. Abdul Qayoum Pokhla, the Head of the Kandahar Public Health Department.

Dr. Pokhla said that the anti-polio vaccination campaign is implemented in other Muslim countries and people should let it take place in Kandahar as well.

Security, cultural barriers and lack of professionalism on behalf of the polio vaccinators, are the main challenges facing the campaign.

“We have launched several awareness campaigns to educate people about the importance of polio vaccination and will enhance our activities in the coming days,” said the Head of Ullama Council, Qari Bashir Ahmad.

It is worth mentioning that Polio is a deadly disease which affects children under the age of five and paralyses its nervous system resulting in permanent disability of the child.

Source: RTA Kandahar