DUSHANBE, November 8, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Almost 2.7 million children under 15 years of age are being vaccinated during the new round of polio immunization that started in Tajikistan today, according to the UNCEF CO in Tajikistan.

This round on November 8-12 is the sixth in a series of supplementary immunization days organized by the Ministry of Health with the support of UNICEF, WHO and other international partners to stop a polio outbreak in the country.

Vaccine that is used during the sixth round will protect children from other types of the virus that exist in neighboring countries, such as Afghanistan.  The vaccine was purchased under financial support of the Government of Japan, Japan Committee “Vaccines for the World’s Children” and UNICEF, the source said.

During the National Immunization Days November 8-12, children under 15 can be vaccinated free of charge at immunization points located in the hospitals, local health centers and schools and other immunization points throughout the country.

The fifth round was held on October 4-8. The fifth and sixth rounds aim at maximizing children’s protection against the disease by boosting their immunity against all three types of polio virus.

We will recall that Minister of Health Nusratullo Salimov told reporters at a news conference in Dushanbe on October 13 that no polio cases have been registered in Tajikistan since June.  According to him, the last polio case was registered in the country on June 4.  During the polio outbreak (late March – early April), there were 705 suspect cases of polio, of which 438 cases were confirmed, Salimov said noting that 21 people died of polio in Tajikistan.