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- KABUL: To save the lives of children in Afghanistan and completely eradicate polio, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have announced a new campaign against polio. This campaign will begin on August 19 in the eastern provinces. In a joint statement, both organizations indicated that the campaign aims to vaccinate one million children under the age of five against polio. They emphasize that the goal is to protect the lives of those children still at risk of this disease. The WHO reported an increase in positive polio cases over the past year, with two new cases of the disease recorded this year alone in Badghis and Helmand provinces. Consequently, the organization stresses that polio vaccinations must continue regularly to fully eliminate this disease, which causes paralysis and even death in children. UNICEF and WHO assert that this effort will be implemented not only through international organizations but also with the cooperation of local health institutions and communities. Previously, the Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health had also conducted vaccination campaigns in collaboration with international agencies across many provinces of the country. Experts believe that in a country like Afghanistan, where access to healthcare services is severely limited due to prolonged conflict and instability, polio vaccination is vital. They warn that if this initiative is not taken seriously, there is a risk of the disease resurfacing, which could affect not only Afghanistan but also other countries in the region. The message from UNICEF and WHO is clear: every child’s life is valuable, and no one should be left out of the polio vaccination efforts.
