Taliban Halts Polio Vaccinations in Afghanistan, UN Reports
The Taliban has suspended polio immunization campaigns in Afghanistan, one of two countries where the disease persists. UN agencies were informed just before the September campaign was set to begin.
The United Nations has reported that the Taliban has suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, a country where the disease remains endemic. This decision comes as a setback in the global effort to eradicate polio, a highly contagious virus that can cause paralysis and death, particularly in children under 5 years old.
Afghanistan, along with neighboring Pakistan, are the only two nations where polio transmission has never been interrupted. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative, launched in 1988, has made significant progress, reducing polio cases by 99% worldwide. However, the situation in Afghanistan remains critical.
UN agencies were informed about the suspension just prior to the scheduled September 2024 immunization campaign. The Taliban-controlled government has not provided a reason for this decision, and officials were unavailable for comment.
Dr. Hamid Jafari from the World Health Organization (WHO) stated:
"The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is aware of the recent policy discussions on shifting from house-to-house polio vaccination campaigns to site-to-site vaccination in parts of Afghanistan. Partners are in the process of discussing and understanding the scope and impact of any change in current policy."
This potential shift from house-to-house vaccinations to site-based immunizations, such as in mosques, could significantly impact the campaign's effectiveness.
The WHO has confirmed 18 polio cases in Afghanistan in 2024, with 16 cases concentrated in the southern region. This marks a concerning increase from the six cases reported in 2023. The situation is particularly alarming given that only type 1 wild poliovirus remains in circulation globally, following the eradication of types 2 and 3 in 2015 and 2019, respectively.
Neighboring Pakistan faces similar challenges in its anti-polio efforts. Vaccination teams and their police escorts are often targeted by militants who propagate false claims that the campaigns are a Western plot to sterilize children. This misinformation has hampered progress in both countries.
The suspension of vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan poses a significant threat to the World Health Assembly's goal of eradicating polio by 2026. It also highlights the ongoing challenges in reaching vulnerable populations and combating vaccine hesitancy.
As the global community continues to work towards polio eradication, the situation in Afghanistan serves as a reminder of the importance of sustained vaccination efforts and the need for international cooperation to overcome the final hurdles in eliminating this devastating disease.
