On Monday, the United Nations (UN) announced that the Taliban has suspended all polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan. The UN received this news just days before the September immunization campaign was scheduled to start. Officials did not provide a reason for the suspension. The Taliban-led government has not yet commented on the situation.
Polio Eradication Faces Challenges
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the last two countries where polio remains endemic. The eradication program in Afghanistan has struggled in recent years. Polio cases have increased, and the virus has spread to new provinces.
UNICEF, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), WHO, and several NGOs work through the Emergency Operating Centre (EOC) to combat this issue. They focus on reaching every child with vaccines and building trust in vaccination efforts.
Current Status and Impact
So far, 16 provinces in Afghanistan have reported 56 cases of Wild Poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). The southern region is the most affected, accounting for 66% of the country’s total cases in 2020.
Despite these challenges, the polio program has maintained a 100% vaccine supply for all activities. The program successfully introduced mOPV2, mOPV1, and tOPV vaccines through improved management.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the program conducted three National Immunisation Days, two Sub-National Immunisation Days, and three Case Response Campaigns. The Taliban’s suspension now creates uncertainty about future vaccination efforts. This raises concerns about the ongoing fight to eliminate polio in Afghanistan.
