UN
UNICEF and WHO support Afghan government to immunize 7.8m children against polio
7 November 2010, Kabul - The Ministry of Public Health, with the support of UNICEF, the World Health Organization and civil society partners is conducting this year's final round of National Immunization Days during 7-9 November to immunize 7.8 Million children less than five years of age against polio.
So far this year, 19 polio cases have been recorded compared to 28 cases during the same period last year, resulting in 32% decrease. Polio has been eradicated in all but four countries, namely Pakistan, India, Nigeria and Afghanistan.
In 2010, 4 rounds of National Immunization Days and another 4 rounds of Sub-National Immunization Days – targeting mainly the southern parts of the country – were planned in Afghanistan.
An added intervention, during the upcoming round, is administering Vitamin A to children between 6-59 months of age. Seven million children from this age group are estimated to be reached by this initiative.
“Considering the significant decrease of polio cases this year, I urge my compatriots to participate in this year’s final round of National Immunization Days, Vitamin A is critical to prevent respiratory diseases during winter,” said Dr Suraya Dalil, acting Minister of Public Health.
"Combining Vitamin A along with polio demonstrates ways in which we can reach vulnerable children with simple health interventions while also ensuring that the poliovirus has fewer opportunities to cripple children in this country," said Gopal Sharma, UNICEF OIC Representative to Afghanistan.
"What we are currently initiating and discovering by combining polio eradication efforts with other public health interventions is very interesting. We introduced deworming in the last polio campaign and Vitamin A in the upcoming one. Combining interventions leads to cost savings, increased outreach and greater demand for both. Polio – with its broad network, resources, political commitment, mechanisms, and momentum – can and should be used as a catalyst to solving other public health problems in Afghanistan," said Peter Graaff, WHO Representative to Afghanistan.
A combination of compromised security and inaccess, particularly in the Southern Region of Afghanistan, has resulted in the ongoing circulation of polio. To combat this, in addition to periodic immunisation activity, the Ministry, supported by UNICEF and NGO partners, is engaging in a range of communication interventions to reach communities. This includes social mobilisation activities and negotiations at the local level with key community influencers, Mullahs, and village elders.
Since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, the largest public health initiative in history, there has been a dramatic drop in the number of polio cases. Compared to 350,000 cases worldwide in 1988, 1,604 cases were registered in 2009. GPEI is spearheaded by national governments, UNICEF, World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention; and Rotary International. A host of donors and partners are also actively engaged in supporting polio eradication.
