Alarm Bells in Herat: Concerns Over the Return and Spread of the Polio Virus
Marzia Frotan
Herat, Afghanistan – The Karbar Canal, located in the south of Herat city, is a place where contaminated water passes and collects, and it has long been used by health teams to collect samples for polio virus testing.
After three years, the wild poliovirus has once again been detected in this canal, indicating that the polio virus has returned to Herat, sparking concern among the public.
Fazal Ahmad, a 46-year-old father of two children who lives near the mentioned canal, is deeply worried about the presence of positive polio virus samples.
“My request to the Herat Department of Public Health is to prevent the spread of the polio virus. Although the Karbar Canal has been disinfected several times in recent weeks, we, who live close to this canal, are very concerned,” he said.
Fazal Ahmad added that some children in Kandahar have contracted polio, and he fears that children in Herat might also get infected. He urges the government to take action and prevent this dangerous disease before it affects children.
After three years, environmental samples of the polio virus have once again tested positive in Herat, causing widespread concern among the people. © Polio Free Afghanistan/2024/Marzia Frotan
Alarm Bells
The Herat Department of Public Health states that the presence of positive environmental samples of the polio virus in the province is a serious warning.
The department’s deputy, Ghulam Mohammad Hanafi, said, “The polio virus now poses a greater threat to the children of Herat than ever before. All our efforts, along with those of other related agencies, are focused on preventing the spread of the virus.”
He added that the samples taken from the Karbar Canal three months ago were identified as positive, which is a serious warning for them.
Referring to the recent polio vaccination campaign, he said, “This campaign is different from previous ones. The wider the coverage of the vaccine and the more children vaccinated, the better the chances of preventing the spread of the polio virus.”
The Herat Department of Public Health states that the presence of positive environmental samples of the polio virus in the province is a serious warning. © Polio Free Afghanistan/2024/Marzia Frotan
An Enemy at the Doorstep
The presence of the polio virus in the contaminated waters of Herat has been confirmed at a time when polio cases have been reported in the nearby provinces of Kandahar and Helmand.
Doctors warn that the transmission of the polio virus from Kandahar and Helmand to Herat is highly likely.
Dr. Farhad Paikar, a pediatric specialist in Herat, warned that if serious health measures are not taken, the polio disease might spread again in Herat.
“Kandahar is close to Herat, and there is a lot of travel between the two provinces, so the likelihood of the polio virus being transmitted from Kandahar to Herat is high,” he added.
In his opinion, to combat the polio virus, the polio vaccination system should be effective and swift in all provinces.
For the past three years, no environmental samples of polio had been detected in Herat, but in recent times, several such samples have been recorded, causing public concern.
However, health officials say that by raising public awareness and conducting polio vaccination campaigns, they will prevent the spread of polio in Herat province.
