India to vaccinate evacuees from Afghanistan against Polio

As India continues to evacuate people from Afghanistan, the Centre said it will also administer free polio vaccines to Afghan nationals who land in the country.

As India continues to evacuate people from Afghanistan, which has been taken over by the Taliban, the Centre on Sunday said it will also administer free polio vaccines to Afghan nationals who land in the country.

The move said the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is a preventive measure against the wild polio virus.

Sharing a photo of the ongoing vaccination of the evacuees at the Delhi International airport, Mandaviya on Sunday tweeted: "We have decided to vaccinate Afghanistan returnees with free Polio Vaccine - OPV & fIPV, as a preventive measure against Wild Polio Virus. Congratulations to the Health Team for their efforts to ensure public health. Take a look at the vaccine drive at Delhi International Airport."

Polio has not yet been eradicated in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Several countries have been carrying out the evacuation of their nationals from Afghanistan after the country's government fell to the terrorist group on August 15.

India on Sunday evacuated 168 passengers including 107 Indian nationals via Indian Air Force's C-17 aircraft that landed at the Hindon IAF base in Ghaziabad.

An Air India flight carrying 87 Indians also landed in Delhi today.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said the government is committed to the safe return of all Indian nationals from Afghanistan.