KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health, in partnership with international organizations, has initiated a nationwide polio vaccination drive to immunize nearly 11 million children across Afghanistan.
In a press release dated Monday, April 29, Polio Free Afghanistan, an initiative dedicated to eradicating polio in Afghanistan, announced that the vaccination campaign began today and will run through May 2, covering all provinces except Ghor, Daikundi, and Bamyan. The start of the campaign in these three central provinces has been delayed due to recent rains and cold weather, with plans to commence later.
Polio Free Afghanistan asked parents and families to protect their children from permanent paralysis by vaccinating them against polio during the campaign.
“Please remember that vitamin A is also given to children in this polio vaccination campaign, so take advantage of this opportunity and give vitamin A to your children along with two drops of polio vaccine,” Polio Free Afghanistan wrote on X today.
Despite being eradicated in other parts of the world, Afghanistan and its neighboring country, Pakistan, remain the last two countries grappling with endemic polio—an incurable and highly infectious disease capable of causing crippling paralysis and even fatalities in young children.
Polio Free Afghanistan attributes the persistence of endemic polio in these two countries to factors such as poor health service, lack of awareness, illiteracy, high population density, high incidence of diarrheal diseases, and low oral polio vaccine coverage.
The virus grows in the intestinal system and is shed through feces. The infection typically spreads in areas with poor water and sewage sanitation, and the disease is only preventable by safe and effective vaccines.
While no positive cases of polio have been reported this year thus far, Afghanistan recorded six cases last year, all in the eastern Nangarhar province, which shares a border with Pakistan.
Pakistan, Afghanistan’s neighboring country, where two polio cases has been detected this year so far, also commenced its fourth polio vaccination campaign of the year today across its 91 districts. The campaign aims to vaccinate 24 million children under the age of five.
The ruling regime in Afghanistan, which has historically hindered polio eradication efforts for years, is now confronted with a significant challenge in combating the disease.
In the press releases, Qalandar Ebad, the Taliban’s Minister of Public Health, was quoted calling upon parents, community influencers, elders, and religious leaders for assistance.
“We kindly ask everyone to play their part in the fight against polio, and safeguard the lives and wellbeing of the children of Afghanistan,” the Taliban minister said. “We will work day and night and continue polio vaccination campaigns and complementary health services until we reach the goal of fully eradicating polio across the whole country,” he added.
