Afghan Taliban suspend polio vaccination campaign: UN

KABUL: The Afghan Taliban have suspended the door-to-door polio vaccination campaign in the country as confirmed by the United Nations (UN) which expressed deep concern over the decision, labelling it a devastating blow to the fight against polio.

The suspension of the campaign threatens to reverse the progress made in controlling the spread of this deadly disease. The United Nations has said that the spread of polio in Afghanistan has never been fully contained.

Afghanistan remains one of the two countries where the transmission of the potentially deadly and paralyzing disease, polio, has never been halted. The other country facing this challenge is Pakistan. The Taliban’s recent decision is expected to have significant repercussions for neighbouring countries and beyond.

The suspension of the polio vaccination campaign was communicated to U.N. agencies just before the scheduled start of the September immunization drive. No explanation was provided for the suspension, and there was no immediate comment from the Taliban-controlled government.

As reported by the international media, a senior official from the World Health Organization (WHO) mentioned that there have been discussions about shifting from house-to-house vaccinations to conducting immunisations in locations such as mosques.

The decision by the Taliban can cause far-reaching consequences not only for their own country, Afghanistan, but also for the region and other countries, said the UN. The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 18 cases of polio in Afghanistan this year, marking an increase of six cases compared to 2023.

The suspension of the vaccination campaign is particularly alarming given the persistent presence of polio in Afghanistan. Polio, that cripple the children under five for the whole life, remains a significant public health threat, and the halt in vaccination efforts could lead to a resurgence of cases. The UN said that the Taliban’s decision will have major implications for the region’s health security and could potentially lead to the spread of polio to neighbouring countries.