The polio vaccination programme, run by the government in 15 districts concluded on Friday. 

Even in Saptari, where protests broke out this week following the fatal shootings of five civilians by police during a political demonstration, the vaccination drive went off rather smoothly. Over 300,000 children got vaccinated against polio in Saptari, health officials said. 

After the completion of vaccination, the Child Health Division also conducted a rapid vaccination coverage survey in many districts which have so far shown over 98 percent coverage. 

The government had scheduled the vaccination drive in 15 districts—Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur and the Tarai districts including Kailali, Bardiya, Banke, Kapilvastu, Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha, Saptari and Sunsari—with the aim of administering polio vaccines to over 1.6 million children. 

On March 4 when the polio vaccination drive began, health workers in some districts had hindered the programme to protest against lax provision in Health Services Act-1997. The Ministry of Health had then taken action against 18 officials for obstructing the programme, and the campaign was back to normal. 

Nepal has not witnessed polio cases for the last six years and is about to announce eradication of the crippling disease, a success that has gained accolades in South Asia.