polio vaccination in Kandahar

Polio drive suspended in Nangarhar following deadly attacks on vaccinators

Anti-polio drive has been suspended indefinitely in Nangarhar after four vaccinators were killed and three others wounded in separate attacks by unknown gunmen in different parts of eastern province today, Tuesday, June 15, according to a local health official.

Two polio vaccinators were killed and one was wounded in two separate attacks targeted the health workers in Khogyani district of the province earlier this morning, said Jan Mohammad Sahebzada, Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Manager at the Public Health Directorate of Nangarhar.

He added that two other vaccinators were killed in Surkhrood district of the province and two others were wounded in PD3 of Jalalabad, capital city of Nangahar.

The local health official noted that all the dead victims of the attacks are male vaccinators.

This is not the first time this year that the anti-polio campaign employees come under attacks by unknown armed men.

Five polio vaccinators were killed by unknown gunmen in Majburabad and Laal Qasem Agha areas of Jalalabad, on March 30, this year.