KABUL, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan interim government's Ministry of Public Health on Monday announced a four-day vaccination campaign aimed at protecting 7.3 million children under the age of five from poliovirus.

Running from Monday to Thursday, the campaign would provide anti-polio drops to children in 19 out of the country's 34 provinces, said Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil, spokesperson for the ministry.

In his message, Amarkhil urged tribal elders, religious scholars, and parents to actively participate and fully cooperate with polio workers to implement the campaign appropriately.

"The Ministry of Public Health is striving to combat infectious diseases by implementing all preventive measures; through the polio vaccination campaign, we aim to prevent the spread of polio in Afghanistan," said Amarkhil. ■