Taliban stops polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, UN confirms

PTC News Desk: The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has halted all polio vaccination campaigns across the country, the United Nations reported. This move comes ahead of planned immunisation efforts set for September, though no official statement or explanation has been provided by the Taliban.

According to a report from the Associated Press (AP), discussions are ongoing about shifting the approach from house-to-house vaccinations to conducting immunisations at mosques. Dr. Hamid Jafari, a senior official with the World Health Organization (WHO), acknowledged that "partners are in the process of discussing and understanding the scope and impact of any change in current policy."

Previously, Afghanistan launched a nationwide house-to-house polio vaccination campaign in June 2024, which proved to be far more effective than site-based vaccinations, especially in regions like southern Kandahar, a stronghold of Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The house-to-house approach aimed to reach the majority of Afghan children, significantly boosting immunisation coverage.

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The WHO has confirmed 18 cases of polio in Afghanistan so far this year, with just two occurring in the southern region. This marks a notable rise compared to the six cases confirmed in 2023. The organisation also noted that the limited involvement of women, who make up only 20% of the workforce in polio campaigns, has restricted access to immunization, particularly in areas like Kandahar.

Afghanistan, along with neighboring Pakistan, remains one of the few countries in the world that has been unable to eradicate polio, a debilitating and often deadly disease. This situation highlights the ongoing need for vaccination efforts. However, Afghanistan may be influenced by anti-vaccination sentiment, which has taken root in Pakistan. In Pakistan, militants frequently target vaccination workers and security personnel, driven by conspiracy theories that polio vaccines are part of a Western plot to sterilise Muslim children.

The WHO has warned that halting polio vaccinations in Afghanistan could pose a significant risk to Pakistan as well, given the high levels of population movement between the two nations. The suspension of Afghanistan's vaccination campaign is seen as a severe setback to global efforts to eradicate polio, which have already faced challenges from costly campaigns and missteps in strategy.

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