Health officials in eastern Nangarhar province have announced the registration of the fifth positive polio case.
Dr. Nik Mohammad, the head of the polio eradication campaign, revealed on Sunday that a child in Dur Baba district had been paralyzed due to poliovirus. No further details about the affected child were provided.
This case marks the fifth instance of child paralysis due to polio in Afghanistan in 2023, all of which have been reported in Nangarhar. Previous cases were identified in Kot, Batikot, Nazyan, and Behsud districts.
Health officials expressed concern over the new cases in the eastern region, as it puts all children under the age of five at risk. They urged parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated against polio.
In 2022, two polio cases were recorded in Kunar and Paktia provinces, the lowest level in the country’s history. However, the risk of polio remains high in Afghanistan, as the country shares a border with Pakistan, which is also endemic for polio.
According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, polio remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and both countries remain at high risk due to conflicts and weak public and immunization services.
