Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health and Gavi Stress Expansion of Vaccination Programs
The Taliban’s Ministry of Public Health announced that Noor Jalal Jalali, acting head of the ministry, emphasized the expansion of health services and strengthening vaccination programs in Afghanistan during a meeting with Véronique Mayet, head of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi) for Afghanistan. Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and their accompanying delegation were also present at the meeting.
According to the ministry’s newsletter, both parties discussed the development of primary health services, expansion of routine vaccinations, and health sector priorities. Ongoing and future cooperation between the Taliban administration and Gavi was also a focal point of the discussions.
The acting health minister identified combating infectious diseases, including measles and polio, as core priorities and stated that efforts to prevent these diseases and enhance medical services across the country are ongoing. He also announced the drafting of vaccination and national health strategies, which will be shared with health partners once finalized.
Meanwhile, representatives from Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF emphasized the continuation of cooperation in immunity and vaccination efforts. They described Afghanistan as a priority area for the alliance and pledged ongoing support for vaccination programs.
This meeting took place amid significant challenges facing Afghanistan’s health system, including outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, financial shortages, and limited access to medical services for residents in remote areas. Health organizations have repeatedly underscored that improving public health requires transparent management, non-discriminatory access, and sustainable collaboration with the international community—issues that currently present a key test for the Taliban administration.
