WHO announces 37 sites testing sewage for polio

KABUL (TOLOnews): The World Health Organization (WHO) said that it has 37 sites across Afghanistan to collect sewage samples and check for the presence of poliovirus among the community.
“The environmental surveillance system for polio continues to expand,” the WHO said.
According to the UN, Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two remaining polio endemic countries in the world.
The doctors suggested the establishment of sites to collect sewage samples and check for the presence of poliovirus to root out polio in the country.
“This is a good and great step in such a condition. Almost in all areas of the world polio has been eradicated,” said Sayed Abdullah Ahmadi, head of Wazir Akbar Khan hospital.
This comes as some Kabul residents called on the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) to increase the number of its employees.
“They may increase the number of their employees all over Afghanistan so the people take advantage of it and are protected against these diseases,” said Wahidullah, a resident of Kabul.
“They may activate their teams in all areas and the teams were active before as well,” said Jalil Ahmad, a resident of Kabul.
This comes as four positive polio cases have been registered in 2023—all of them in Nangarhar.