Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Health Minister, has announced that India will vaccinate Afghan returnees against polio

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Sunday (August 22, 2021) that Afghanistan returnees will receive free polio vaccinations as a preventive measure against the wild polio virus.

“As a preventive measure against Wild Polio Virus, we have decided to vaccinate Afghanistan returnees with free Polio Vaccine – OPV & IPV. Congratulations to the Health Team on their efforts to protect public health “Mandaviya stated as well as shared a photo of the vaccination drive at Delhi International Airport.

It should be noted that polio is still endemic in only two countries in the world: Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, due to the dire situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover, India evacuated 168 people, including 107 Indians, from Kabul on Sunday using an IAF military transport aircraft.

India had previously evacuated 200 people, including the Indian envoy and other embassy personnel in Kabul.