Afghanistan Times
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AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: The Islamic State (IS), known also as Deash, has halted an annual polio vaccination campaign in three districts of eastern Nangarhar province, local officials said.
Najibullah Kamawal, Head of Health Department of Nangarhar, said that his workers were not able to launch anti-polio drives in Achin, Haskamina and Mina Kot districts of the province due to Daesh presence.
“Daesh insurgents also closed down health centers in the three districts and cause health problem for the residents,” he said.
He said that 46,000 children have been deprived of polio vaccination in areas under Daesh control. Already there are four cases of polio reported in these districts, Kamawal told Tolonews.
He also informed that Daesh insurgents had shut down ten healthcare centers in three districts.
Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) had launched an anti-polio campaign across the country three days ago.
Maulavi Abbas, a religious scholar, said that this is an act of oppression against the children. He called on warring parties to cooperate with the polio teams.
A number of civil society activists in Nangarhar also termed it as oppression by Daesh insurgent on children. They called on Daesh insurgents to allow health workers to vaccinate children against polio virus. Afghanistan is one of just three countries, along with Pakistan and Nigeria, where polio is still endemic.
