WHO Reports Six Possible Polio Cases in Afghanistan as Health Ministry Casts Doubt on Figures
The World Health Organization said in its latest report that six new polio cases were recorded this week in different provinces of Afghanistan. According to the report, three cases were identified in Kandahar province, two in the Batikot and Goshta districts of Nangarhar province, and one case in the Musahi district of Kabul province. With these cases, the number of confirmed polio cases this year has reached 42.
However, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health has denied the existence of these positive polio cases, describing them as suspicious. A spokesperson for the ministry said a special team had travelled to the provinces mentioned to verify the reports and assess the situation in detail.
Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, said: “Both last year’s cases and this year’s cases were suspicious. Last year, after visiting the areas, our team observed that the health condition of the individuals was different from polio disease. For this reason, a team has been formed this year to investigate and confirm these cases.”
Doctors also stress that, alongside expanding vaccination, raising public awareness about the importance of immunisation is more necessary than ever.
Afghanistan, along with Pakistan, is one of only two countries where the endemic poliovirus is still circulating. The World Health Organization says the main factors behind the persistence of the disease are movement between the two countries, low vaccination coverage in some areas, insecurity, and vaccinators’ lack of access to all children.
