The caretaker government’s Ministry of Public Health has announced in a statement that today (Monday, January 27, 2025), a national sub-campaign for polio vaccination has been launched in 16 provinces across the central, southern, eastern, western, southeastern, and northeastern zones of the country.
According to the statement, this campaign will be conducted in Kabul, Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan, Zabul, Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Ghazni, Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar, Nuristan, Baghlan, Herat, and Badghis provinces over three days (January 27–29).
The ministry stated that during this phase, approximately six million children under the age of five will receive the polio vaccine.
Acting Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, said about the campaign’s launch: “The Ministry of Public Health is committed to stopping the wild poliovirus in Afghanistan with the support of its partners. We will continue polio vaccination campaigns and other health services to achieve the ultimate goal of eradicating this disease across the entire country.”
Meanwhile, several vaccinators in Zabul expressed concerns that the lack of door-to-door vaccination deprives some children of receiving the vaccine.
Mohabbatullah, a vaccinator in Zabul, said: “Previously, we conducted vaccinations door-to-door, but now we are stationed in designated areas and announce for people to bring their children for vaccination. In this process, some families show indifference and do not bring their children for vaccination.”
Musa Kaleem, another vaccinator in Zabul, stated: “Now we vaccinate children in mosques. We try to ensure that all children are vaccinated, but many families do not bring their children for vaccination. We request local elders to raise awareness about this issue.”
In the meantime, some families, in order to protect their children from polio, have demanded that vaccinations be conducted door-to-door.
Ahmadullah, a resident of Zabul, said: “We ask the authorities to conduct door-to-door vaccinations so that no child is deprived of this vaccine, and more facilities should be provided to the people.”
Ali, a resident of Nangarhar, urged families to vaccinate their children to protect them from polio. “We have five children under five years old in our home who receive the vaccine, and the volunteers arrive on time. We encourage other families to vaccinate their children as well.”
The Acting Minister of Public Health has called on religious scholars, tribal elders, parents, and influential community members nationwide to support the vaccinators. “It is important for religious scholars, tribal elders, parents, and other influential individuals to support vaccinators across the country to participate in the fight against polio and protect the health of their children.”
Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries where the polio virus has not been eradicated.