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Source: https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/n...uble-after-three-female-medics-killed-571100/
Afghan polio vaccine drive in trouble after three female medics killed
Published: just now
By Ahmed Sultan and Orooj Hakimi
JALALABAD/KABUL (Reuters) - The killing of three female polio vaccine providers in Afghanistan this week has forced aid agencies and the government to re-assess field postings for thousands of female medics at a time when nearly 10 million Afghan children need polio drops.
Officials at the United Nation Childrens' Fund (UNICEF), one of the agencies helping in the large-scale polio vaccination drive across Afghanistan that was launched this week, said they were reviewing the involvement of women in the role after unidentified gunmen killed three frontline workers in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Tuesday.
"We feel terrible to put female lives at risk and it's crucial to find ways to protect them before they participate in ongoing vaccination drives," said Godwin Mindra, an immunization specialist at UNICEF.
"We are considering providing a layer of security to female frontline workers but we are also aware that we cannot militarize any health campaign," Mindra told Reuters, adding that an estimated 9.9 million children need polio drops this year across the war-torn country.
About 70,000 staff, including vaccinators, are involved in implementing the polio campaign, of which about 40% are women.
Afghanistan's COVID-19 vaccination has not been affected since inoculations are being done at health centres and not door-to-door like the polio campaign, which exposes health workers to more danger, officials said...
Afghan polio vaccine drive in trouble after three female medics killed
Published: just now
By Ahmed Sultan and Orooj Hakimi
JALALABAD/KABUL (Reuters) - The killing of three female polio vaccine providers in Afghanistan this week has forced aid agencies and the government to re-assess field postings for thousands of female medics at a time when nearly 10 million Afghan children need polio drops.
Officials at the United Nation Childrens' Fund (UNICEF), one of the agencies helping in the large-scale polio vaccination drive across Afghanistan that was launched this week, said they were reviewing the involvement of women in the role after unidentified gunmen killed three frontline workers in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Tuesday.
"We feel terrible to put female lives at risk and it's crucial to find ways to protect them before they participate in ongoing vaccination drives," said Godwin Mindra, an immunization specialist at UNICEF.
"We are considering providing a layer of security to female frontline workers but we are also aware that we cannot militarize any health campaign," Mindra told Reuters, adding that an estimated 9.9 million children need polio drops this year across the war-torn country.
About 70,000 staff, including vaccinators, are involved in implementing the polio campaign, of which about 40% are women.
Afghanistan's COVID-19 vaccination has not been affected since inoculations are being done at health centres and not door-to-door like the polio campaign, which exposes health workers to more danger, officials said...
