Taliban halts polio vaccination efforts in Afghanistan

The Taliban has suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, a country that has struggled to eradicate the disease alongside Pakistan. This decision was communicated to U.N. agencies just before the September immunization campaign was set to begin, with no explanation provided by the Taliban government. The World Health Organization (WHO) noted that discussions were underway to shift from house-to-house vaccinations to site-to-site immunizations, such as in mosques, which are generally less effective. In 2024, Afghanistan had implemented a house-to-house vaccination strategy for the first time in five years, significantly improving coverage. However, the southern Kandahar province, where the Taliban's leadership is based, has not adopted this method, resulting in a large number of unvaccinated children. The WHO reported that the overall participation of women in vaccination efforts remains low, at around 20%, which further limits access to children in certain areas. The suspension of the vaccination campaign is a significant setback for efforts to eradicate polio in Afghanistan, especially given the ongoing challenges posed by violence against vaccination teams in neighboring Pakistan. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is concerned that any delays in Afghanistan could adversely affect vaccination efforts in Pakistan due to high population movement between the two countries. The initiative, which requires approximately $1 billion annually, has faced numerous challenges, including missed deadlines and technical errors in vaccination strategies. The oral vaccine has also led to outbreaks in various regions, highlighting the complexities involved in eradicating polio globally.