While concrete measures are crucial for achieving a goal, public awareness not only about a disease or pandemic but also protective measures can, no doubt, enhance the chances of ending the pandemic. However, the polio virus, long known to the world, is still crippling the children and young people in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In the recent days, polio vaccination began all over the country and the new government of Afghanistan ensured the process will be as successful as it needs to be. However, the major problem in the country is not about the vaccines shortage or else, but lack of awareness and misinformation about the virus is most challenging here. Still, there are a significant number of people who, under the influence of regional scholars, think that the vaccination against polio could be harmful to their health in many different ways, some even suggesting it to be against Islam.
The officials of the previous as well as current government have often struggled to lead the general public to right direction through different channels.
According to Bakhtar News Agency (BNA) officials of northern Kunduz province of the country said that media can play a vital and crucial role in putting an end to the polio.
In a two-day workshop sponsored by UNICEF Afghanistan, Information and Culture Head of the province Mutiullah Rohani pointed out the importance of media in eradication of polio in the country.
“Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) will expose their working procedure to media and journalists,” the agency quoted Rohani as saying.
Meanwhile, Kamal Shah head of UNICEF media office outlined further details about the workshop. He said that the workshop will also be carried out in other provinces including Baghlan, Takhar and Badakhshan for two days in the presence of media and journalists. Polio vaccination had been stopped during the conflicts of the fallen government with Taliban forces. However, when IEA took control of the country, the process started once again in the country with full support and cooperation of the government. The process followed different approaches, going through home to home and vaccinating children and in some provinces the families were asked to take their children to nearby mosques.
It is worth mentioning that IEA was never against polio vaccination even before gaining power. In some parts of the country during the previous government, the polio vaccination teams had full support of the Taliban. As now they takeover the control of the country, they are trying to make sure the polio vaccines reach
to each and every part of the country.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has frequently asked people to cooperate with health workers in polio vaccination process, so that the disease gets eradicated from the country.
The Kabul Times
