UNICEF Calls for Nationwide Polio Vaccination in Afghanistan

DID Press: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for intensified national efforts to eradicate polio in Afghanistan and ensure that every child is vaccinated, marking World Polio Day.

In a statement on Saturday, 24 October, UNICEF said the occasion was an opportunity to highlight efforts to make Afghanistan polio-free and recognize frontline workers who are working to vaccinate children and end the disease.

According to UNICEF, polio cases worldwide have declined by more than 99 percent. However, the organization warned that as long as the virus exists anywhere in the world, children everywhere remain at risk.

UNICEF stressed that access to vaccines is key to achieving a polio-free world.

Meanwhile, confirmed polio cases in Afghanistan have increased in recent years, underscoring the need to strengthen vaccination efforts and protect children against the preventable disease.