WHO Urges Immediate Action to Stop Polio Spread in Afghanistan
The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over the continued outbreak of polio in Afghanistan and emphasized the need to increase efforts to ensure all children have access to preventive health services. The agency stated that strengthening vaccination programs and essential health services is vital to stopping the spread of polio.
Hanan Balkhi, the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, wrote on her official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday that the Polio Review Team, during its fourth visit to Afghanistan, assessed the current efforts to combat the disease. She noted that the team met and held discussions with health officials, Afghan authorities, international organizations, and United Nations representatives.
Balkhi stressed that to reduce the risk of polio, basic health services must be reinforced across the country and vaccination programs must be organized to ensure no child is deprived of receiving the vaccine. She added that establishing a robust and sustainable health system, alongside immediate humanitarian support, could bring Afghanistan closer to the goal of completely eradicating polio.
Afghanistan remains one of the few countries in the world where polio has not yet been fully eliminated. Challenges such as limited access to certain areas, lack of health infrastructure, and existing restrictions within the public service system under Taliban administration have all been identified as factors complicating efforts to combat the disease.
The WHO regional director expressed hope that coordinated cooperation between national and international organizations can accelerate the implementation of vaccination programs and prevent further threats to children from this disease.
