The United Nations announced on Monday that the Taliban have decided to halt polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, dealing a significant blow to efforts to eradicate the highly contagious virus. Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries where the spread of polio has never been halted. This decision by the Taliban is expected to have far-reaching consequences beyond just Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The suspension was communicated to U.N. agencies just before the scheduled September immunization campaign, with no explanation provided for the abrupt halt. The World Health Organization (WHO) is now considering transitioning from house-to-house vaccinations to conducting immunizations in places such as mosques as an alternative method.
According to Dr. Hamid Jafari from the WHO, 18 polio cases have been confirmed in Afghanistan this year, with most cases concentrated in the southern region of the country. Discussions are underway to assess the possible impacts of shifting vaccination strategies.
Both Afghanistan and Pakistan have faced challenges in implementing polio vaccination campaigns due to violence and security concerns. Militants in Pakistan have targeted vaccination teams, falsely accusing the campaigns of being part of a Western conspiracy. The WHO reported ongoing efforts to improve vaccination coverage in endemic zones in both countries.
The WHO highlighted the importance of a united effort in eliminating polio, expressing concerns about the interconnectedness of the two countries and the risk of virus transmission due to high population movement. Ongoing and synchronized vaccination campaigns are crucial to prevent the spread of polio among children in the region.
The global polio eradication initiative has faced setbacks and technical challenges, with the oral vaccine inadvertently causing outbreaks in various countries. Recently, Gaza reported its first polio case in over 25 years, linked to a mutated strain from the oral vaccine.
Efforts to combat polio require coordinated actions and consistent immunization campaigns to protect vulnerable populations. The suspension of polio vaccination in Afghanistan adds to the challenges faced in the global fight against the disease, underscoring the need for continued vigilance and collaboration among nations.
