The increase in polio cases in Afghanistan has turned into a serious crisis. Following the suspension of the house-to-house vaccination campaign by the Taliban in 1403, the number of people infected with this disease has alarmingly risen.
History of Polio Vaccination in Afghanistan
The fight against polio in Afghanistan began in 1357, and despite ongoing wars, the coverage of child vaccination gradually increased. According to data from the World Health Organization, the vaccination coverage for one-year-old children rose from three percent in 1360 to 33 percent in 1368. However, with the emergence of the Taliban, polio cases increased, and after this group returned to power in 1400, the number of infections significantly rose.
Current Situation and Reasons for the Increase
By 1403, after the halt of house-to-house vaccination, the number of polio cases reached 25 in 1403 and 42 in 1405. This alarming increase occurs while 12 provinces in Afghanistan are still grappling with the polio virus. Kandahar, Helmand, and Nangarhar have the highest infection rates in these areas. Cultural and ideological factors, especially proximity to Pakistan, have been cited as primary reasons for the growth of this virus in southern and eastern Afghanistan.
Dr. Mohammad Khakrah Rashidi, former coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication in Afghanistan, states that low vaccination coverage and anti-vaccine propaganda have been major obstacles in the fight against this disease. Testing of sewage samples shows that the polio virus is circulating in many areas of Afghanistan.
In the current year, positive polio virus samples have been identified in 16 provinces, indicating the spread of this disease. The youngest recorded cases are two five-month-old children, and the oldest case is a 12-year and 10-month-old child.
Changing the vaccination method to mosques instead of house-to-house has created problems. Dr. Abdul Hakim Tamana, former head of public health in Herat, states that under this method, many children miss out on vaccinations. He emphasizes that with this change, tracking down unvaccinated children has also become difficult.
The World Health Organization and UNICEF have also warned that restrictions on women's movement, especially in vaccination teams, have hindered many children's access to vaccination. During the republic period, women could easily enter homes and discuss concerns with mothers, but now this communication has been severely restricted.
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