Russia to help Ukraine cope with polio outbreak, if need be

Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova on Saturday said that Russia will be prepared to help Ukraine cope with the outbreak of poliomyelitis, if Kiev requests such assistance.

"Of course, we will help, if we are asked to. But we are not in the position to meddle in the affairs of another state," Skvortsova told TASS.

At the beginning of September the Ukrainian Health Ministry confirmed an outbreak of poliomyelitis. The virus affected two children in the Trans-Carpathian Region.

According to the Ukrainian Health Ministry, in 2014 only 49% of children were vaccinated against polio, and in the first half of this year, still less - 14.1%.

Source: MENA