Taliban Launches Measles Vaccination Campaign in Nangarhar
The Taliban administration in Nangarhar province has launched a ten-day measles vaccination campaign, aiming to immunize more than 1.35 million children. The initiative officially began on Saturday, November 10, with the participation of local representatives from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
According to media outlets close to the Taliban, the campaign will cover the entire province of Nangarhar, targeting children aged six months to ten years. However, concerns remain about how effectively the campaign will be implemented, whether all districts will be fully covered, and how the process will be monitored.
Azizullah Mustafa, who has been appointed by the Taliban as the deputy governor of Nangarhar, stated during the campaign’s launch that economic hardships have contributed to a rise in diseases. He urged local residents to cooperate with health teams. Nevertheless, questions persist regarding what specific plans the Taliban administration has to address the broader health crisis and to provide sustainable support to families against preventable diseases.
Despite the critical importance of children’s health, the lack of proper healthcare infrastructure, shortage of professional medical staff, and restrictions imposed by the Taliban on international organizations have raised serious doubts about the effectiveness of short-term vaccination drives. These campaigns, critics argue, should not be used as a pretext to mask the Taliban’s failure in delivering consistent healthcare services to deprived areas.
