Taliban agree to new polio vaccination across Afghanistan
3 years, 2 months ago

Taliban agree to new polio vaccination across Afghanistan

Associated Press  

ISTANBUL, Turkey — U.N. agencies are gearing up to vaccinate all of Afghanistan’s children under 5 against polio for the first time since 2018, after the Taliban agreed to the campaign, the World Health Organization says. But WHO and the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF said in a statement Monday that they welcomed the decision by the Taliban leadership supporting the resumption of house-to-house polio vaccinations across the country. The estimated target population is Afghanistan’s 10 million children under 5, including the more than 3.3 million who could not be reached since 2018, Dr. Hamid Jafari, WHO’s director of polio eradication for the Eastern Mediterranean region, told The Associated Press. “Restarting polio vaccination in all areas of Afghanistan now will prevent a major resurgence of polio outbreaks within the country and ensure there is no international spread,” Jafari said.

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History of this topic

Pakistan postpones polio vaccination drive in southwest after health workers boycotted it
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Pakistan postpones polio vaccination drive in southwest after health workers boycotted it

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Pakistan authorities on Wednesday postponed …

Pakistan postpones polio vaccination drive in Balochistan after health workers boycotted it
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Pakistan postpones polio vaccination drive in Balochistan after health workers boycotted it

Associated Press  

QUETTA, Pakistan — Pakistani authorities on Wednesday postponed a polio vaccination campaign in the country’s restive southern Balochistan province after health workers boycotted it to oppose a proposed privatization of hospitals. Authorities on Monday launched the final nationwide polio vaccination campaign for the year, aiming to protect 45 million children. Anwarul Haq of the National Emergency Operation Center for Polio …

Amid rising polio cases, Pakistan begins last vaccination drive of the year
3 weeks, 3 days ago

Amid rising polio cases, Pakistan begins last vaccination drive of the year

Firstpost  

According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the potentially fatal, paralyzing virus hasn’t been stopped Pakistan began on Monday its last nationwide vaccination campaign for the year to protect 45 million children from polio after a surge in new cases hampered efforts to stop the disease, officials said. According to the …

Pakistan begins last anti-polio vaccination campaign of the year after a surge in cases
3 weeks, 3 days ago

Pakistan begins last anti-polio vaccination campaign of the year after a surge in cases

Associated Press  

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan on Monday began its last nationwide vaccination campaign for the year to protect 45 million children from polio after a surge in new cases hampered efforts to stop the disease, officials said. According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the potentially fatal, paralyzing virus hasn’t been stopped, Pakistan …

Polio outbreak in Pakistan: This year’s tally at 50, new case from area where gunmen targeted health workers
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Polio outbreak in Pakistan: This year’s tally at 50, new case from area where gunmen targeted health workers

Firstpost  

Pakistan has reported its 50th polio case of the year. AP Pakistan detected one more polio case in the restive northwest bordering Afghanistan, raising the country’s tally of the infectious disease to 50 cases this year, officials said Wednesday. The latest case was detected in Tank, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where militants often target polio workers and police …

Pakistan reports new polio case in northwest, raising nationwide tally to 50 cases this year
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Pakistan reports new polio case in northwest, raising nationwide tally to 50 cases this year

Associated Press  

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan detected one more polio case in the restive northwest bordering Afghanistan, raising the country’s tally of the infectious disease to 50 cases this year, officials said Wednesday. The latest case was detected in Tank, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where militants often target polio workers and police assigned for anti-polio campaigns, according to a statement by …

Polio Cases Surge in Pakistan, Two New Cases Detected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province
2 months ago

Polio Cases Surge in Pakistan, Two New Cases Detected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province

The Hindu  

Two new polio cases have been reported in Pakistan, bringing the yearly tally to 45. The cases surfaced in the Lakki Marwat and Dera Ismail Khan provinces, marking the second outbreak this year. WPV1, the causative virus, has been detected in 76 districts, highlighting a widespread transmission risk. The vaccination campaign, which began on Monday, aims to vaccinate over 45 …

Pakistan begins new nationwide polio vaccination campaign after surge in new cases
2 months, 1 week ago

Pakistan begins new nationwide polio vaccination campaign after surge in new cases

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Pakistan began a nationwide vaccination …

Two New Polio Cases Detected in Sindh, Pakistan
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Two New Polio Cases Detected in Sindh, Pakistan

The Hindu  

Pakistan reports two new polio cases, bringing the tally to 39 this year. The cases were confirmed in the Sindh province, marking the first polio cases in the province since April. The latest cases are a girl and a boy, and come after four cases were reported a day earlier. Pakistan has reported 39 cases of poliovirus this year, with …

Evening briefing: Dhankhar after SC's ‘caged parrot’ remark; Taliban suspends polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Evening briefing: Dhankhar after SC's ‘caged parrot’ remark; Taliban suspends polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan

Hindustan Times  

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has said that the institutions including the Election Commission and investigative agencies perform their duties under “tight situations”, cautioning that an observation can “despirit” them. The vice president's remarks have come against the backdrop of a Supreme Court judge observing that the Central Bureau of Investigation must dispel the notion of it being a “caged parrot”. …

Taliban suspends polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, UN says
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Taliban suspends polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, UN says

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Taliban have suspended polio …

UN says Taliban suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan
3 months, 3 weeks ago

UN says Taliban suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan

The Hindu  

The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the U.N. said Monday. “The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is aware of the recent policy discussions on shifting from house-to-house polio vaccination campaigns to site-to-site vaccination in parts of Afghanistan,” said Dr. Hamid Jafari from the WHO. “During a June 2024 nationwide campaign, Afghanistan used a house-to-house vaccination strategy for the …

Taliban suspends polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, says UN
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Taliban suspends polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, says UN

Hindustan Times  

The Taliban-controlled government in Afghanistan has suspended all polio vaccination campaigns in the country, according to the United Nations. According to an AP report, Taliban had made no official statement and no reasoning was given for suspending vaccination campaigns ahead of planned immunization in September. Dr Hamid Jafari from the WHO said, regarding the possibility of shifting towards site vaccinations …

The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the UN says
3 months, 3 weeks ago

The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the UN says

Associated Press  

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the U.N. said Monday. “The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is aware of the recent policy discussions on shifting from house-to-house polio vaccination campaigns to site-to-site vaccination in parts of Afghanistan,” said Dr. Hamid Jafari from the WHO. “The overall women’s inclusion in vaccination campaigns remains around …

The Taliban suspends polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the U.N. says
3 months, 3 weeks ago

The Taliban suspends polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the U.N. says

LA Times  

The Taliban has suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the U.N. said Monday. “The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is aware of the recent policy discussions on shifting from house-to-house polio vaccination campaigns to site-to-site vaccination in parts of Afghanistan,” said Dr. Hamid Jafari from the WHO. “The overall women’s inclusion in vaccination campaigns remains around 20% in Afghanistan, leading to …

The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the UN says
3 months, 3 weeks ago

The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the UN says

New Indian Express  

DUBAI: The Taliban have suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, the U.N. said Monday. A top official from the World Health Organization said it was aware of discussions to move away from house-to-house vaccinations and instead have immunizations in places like mosques. “The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is aware of the recent policy discussions on shifting from house-to-house polio vaccination …

Gunmen kill a polio worker and a policeman during a vaccination campaign in Pakistan
3 months, 4 weeks ago

Gunmen kill a polio worker and a policeman during a vaccination campaign in Pakistan

Associated Press  

KHAR, Pakistan — Gunmen on motorcycles opened fire Wednesday on police escorting a team of polio workers during a door-to-door vaccination campaign in northwestern Pakistan, killing an officer and a polio worker, police said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Bajur, a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, according …

Health Talk | Understanding vaccine-derived polio and its implications
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Health Talk | Understanding vaccine-derived polio and its implications

Hindustan Times  

Last week, a two-and-a-half-year-old child in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills tested positive for poliomyelitis, commonly known as polio. Vaccine-derived poliovirus is a strain of poliovirus that has mutated from the strain originally contained in oral polio vaccines. However, the reporting of vaccine-derived cases does not indicate the return of wild polio, which was officially eradicated in India in 2014, as …

Grave concern: On wild-type poliovirus type-1 cases in Pakistan, Afghanistan
6 months ago

Grave concern: On wild-type poliovirus type-1 cases in Pakistan, Afghanistan

The Hindu  

The ambitious goal of eradicating wild-type poliovirus type-1 by 2026 appears to have become tougher. With Afghanistan and Pakistan reporting six WPV1 cases each in 2023 — there were two cases in Afghanistan and 20 cases in Pakistan in 2022 — the total incidence of type-1 cases in both countries in 2023 might appear to have nearly halved. The circulation …

Will Pakistan ever be able to eradicate polio?
6 months, 1 week ago

Will Pakistan ever be able to eradicate polio?

Al Jazeera  

Six poliovirus cases have been reported so far this year along with numerous positive samples. Health workers have begun a campaign to vaccinate 9.5 million children against polio in 41 districts in Pakistan this week. Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif, however, said the government “remains steadfast” in its aim to eradicate polio after a meeting with American billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates …

Parents in Pakistan could face prison time for not vaccinating their kids against polio
1 year, 3 months ago

Parents in Pakistan could face prison time for not vaccinating their kids against polio

Associated Press  

KARACHI, Pakistan — Authorities in one Pakistan province are turning to a controversial new tactic in the decades-long initiative to wipe out polio: prison. In January, roughly 62,000 parents, mostly in Pakistan’s Sindh province, refused polio vaccinations for their children, prompting authorities there to propose the new law with penalties. “Parents believe that’s because the government gets grants and donations …

Pakistan’s War Against Polio Is Difficult and Dangerous
1 year, 11 months ago

Pakistan’s War Against Polio Is Difficult and Dangerous

The Diplomat  

On November 30, a Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan suicide bomber blew himself up near a truck carrying police personnel protecting polio vaccination workers in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. A strategy that included religious figures worked: Resistance levels dropped from 4 percent in 2004 to 0.9 percent in 2012, according to a June 2013 UNICEF report, “Eradicating Polio: Working with religious leaders to enhance …

Pakistan launches year’s first nationwide anti-polio campaign
1 year, 11 months ago

Pakistan launches year’s first nationwide anti-polio campaign

Al Jazeera  

The three-day drive aims to immunise more than 44 million children under the age of five against the viral disease. Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan has launched its first nationwide anti-polio campaign for the year, aiming to immunise more than 44 million children under the age of five to protect them from the viral disease. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday …

Pakistan launches new anti-polio drive amid spike in cases
2 years, 1 month ago

Pakistan launches new anti-polio drive amid spike in cases

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Pakistani authorities launched a new …

Gunmen kill policeman escorting polio vaccine worker in Pakistan
2 years, 2 months ago

Gunmen kill policeman escorting polio vaccine worker in Pakistan

Al Jazeera  

The attack in Balochistan province took place a day after the start of a new immunisation drive. Islamabad, Pakistan – Unknown assailants have shot dead a policeman providing security to a polio vaccination health worker in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan, the latest attack against efforts to protect children from the disease. Mir Ziaullah Langau, Balochistan’s home minister, condemned the …

Gunmen kill polio worker in Pakistan vaccination campaign
2 years, 10 months ago

Gunmen kill polio worker in Pakistan vaccination campaign

Associated Press  

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Gunmen in northwestern Pakistan shot and killed a female polio worker as she was returning home Wednesday after taking part in the country’s latest anti-polio campaign, police said. However, militants often target polio teams and police assigned to protect them in Pakistan, falsely claiming the vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize children. Since January last …

2022 Pakistan polio vaccinations key to eradication goal: Gates
2 years, 10 months ago

2022 Pakistan polio vaccinations key to eradication goal: Gates

Al Jazeera  

Islamabad, Pakistan – Continuing and sustained polio vaccination efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan in 2022 are likely to determine whether the world can entirely eradicate the debilitating virus, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has said on his first visit to Pakistan, one of the two countries where the disease remains endemic. Gates, a US-based billionaire who made his name as the …

Afghanistan returnees provided free polio vaccination: Health Ministry
3 years, 4 months ago

Afghanistan returnees provided free polio vaccination: Health Ministry

The Hindu  

The Health Ministry has decided to vaccinate returnees from Afghanistan with free polio vaccines as a preventive measure, tweeted Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday. However, wild polio virus cases continue to be reported in neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan — the last two polio-endemic countries in the world. “Failure to eradicate polio from these last remaining strongholds could result in …

Afghan returnees to be vaccinated against polio in India: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya
3 years, 4 months ago

Afghan returnees to be vaccinated against polio in India: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

India TV News  

India has decided to vaccinate Afghanistan returnees against polio for free as a preventive measure against the wild polio virus, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Sunday. "We have decided to vaccinate Afghanistan returnees with free Polio Vaccine - OPV & fIPV, as a preventive measure against Wild Polio Virus.Congratulations to the Health Team for their efforts to ensure …

Afghan Returnees to be Vaccinated Against Polio for Free in India, Says Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya
3 years, 4 months ago

Afghan Returnees to be Vaccinated Against Polio for Free in India, Says Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

News 18  

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday announced vaccinating Afghanistan returnees against polio for free as a preventive measure against the wild polio virus. “We have decided to vaccinate Afghanistan returnees with free Polio Vaccine – OPV & fIPV, as a preventive measure against Wild Polio Virus. We have decided to vaccinate Afghanistan returnees with free Polio Vaccine – OPV …

'Gains of 20 years can't be turned back': WHO concerned over healthcare situation in Afghanistan
3 years, 4 months ago

'Gains of 20 years can't be turned back': WHO concerned over healthcare situation in Afghanistan

India Today  

The World Health Organisation has expressed concerns about access to critical healthcare services in war-torn Afghanistan. The world body has said that it is committed to staying in Afghanistan and delivering critical health services and calls on all parties to respect and protect civilians, health workers, patients and health facilities. In July 2021, some 13,897 conflict-related trauma cases were received …

Attacks target polio teams in east Afghanistan, 5 killed
3 years, 6 months ago

Attacks target polio teams in east Afghanistan, 5 killed

Associated Press  

KABUL, Afghanistan — Gunmen on Tuesday targeted an anti-polio drive in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least five members of two vaccination teams in separate attacks, officials said. Along with the five killed, at least four members of the polio vaccination teams were wounded, said Dr. Jan Mohammad, who coordinates the anti-polio drive for the country’s east. In March, the Islamic …

Wars, instability pose vaccine challenges in poor nations
4 years ago

Wars, instability pose vaccine challenges in poor nations

Associated Press  

DAR MANGI, Pakistan — Arifullah Khan had just administered another polio vaccine when the gunfire blasted from the nearby hills. There was so much gunfire it felt like an explosion,” he said, recalling details of the attack five years ago in Pakistan’s Bajaur tribal region near the Afghan border. The agency aims to transport 850 tons of COVID-19 vaccines a …

Wars, instability pose vaccine challenges in poor nations
4 years ago

Wars, instability pose vaccine challenges in poor nations

The Hindu  

Arifullah Khan had just administered another polio vaccine when the gunfire blasted from the nearby hills. There was so much gunfire it felt like an explosion,” he said, recalling details of the attack five years ago in Pakistan’s Bajaur tribal region near the Afghan border. The agency aims to transport 850 tons of COVID-19 vaccines a month next year, double …

Why Africa’s success in eradicating polio is important today
4 years, 4 months ago

Why Africa’s success in eradicating polio is important today

Al Jazeera  

As the world battles a pandemic, Africa has become polio free. With no recorded cases since 2016, the African region has received certification as wild polio virus free by the World Health Organization – and this is one of the greatest achievements in public health history. Delivering polio vaccines to every child in the African region and wiping out the …

Why Africa’s success in eradicating polio is important today
4 years, 4 months ago

Why Africa’s success in eradicating polio is important today

Al Jazeera  

As the world battles a pandemic, Africa has become polio free. With no recorded cases since 2016, the African region has received certification as wild polio virus free by the World Health Organization – and this is one of the greatest achievements in public health history. Delivering polio vaccines to every child in the African region and wiping out the …

Pakistan resumes polio vaccinations after coronavirus hiatus
4 years, 5 months ago

Pakistan resumes polio vaccinations after coronavirus hiatus

Al Jazeera  

Door-to-door vaccination of more than 800,000 children under the age of five to be conducted in several cities. “Two major nationwide anti-polio drives have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which damaged our months-long momentum built to stem out the notorious polio virus from Pakistan,” said Dr Rana Muhammad Safdar, the chief of the government’s polio eradication programme. “Polio workers …

How Islamic opposition to polio vaccine hurt imminuzation efforts
4 years, 8 months ago

How Islamic opposition to polio vaccine hurt imminuzation efforts

Op India  

The manner in which religious bigotry assists the spreading of deadly epidemics has been amply evidenced by the conduct of the Tablighi Jamaat in the wake of the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic. A study published in 2009 noted that, “Religious opposition by Muslim fundamentalists is a major factor in the failure of immunization programs against polio in Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.” …

Pakistan: 2 polio vaccinators shot dead by gunmen
4 years, 11 months ago

Pakistan: 2 polio vaccinators shot dead by gunmen

India TV News  

Two polio vaccinators have been shot dead in Pakistan. Jihad Khan, Parmoli police station head, told EFE: "After doing their duty at 15:15 hours both were walking to deposit their kits when two unidentified gunmen riding a bike opened fire from their back. Unknown gunmen shot dead two policemen who were part of an immunization program in the country's volatile …

Afghanistan, Pakistan threat to success of polio eradication: Experts
5 years ago

Afghanistan, Pakistan threat to success of polio eradication: Experts

India Today  

The representatives from India, Canada, Australia, United States, France, and New Zealand recently met at a conference on protection from polio in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. India National PolioPlus of India told India Today that despite being polio free, polio cases are being seen in a large numbers in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The conference also issued an appeal to the people …

In Pakistan, polio makes a comeback amid vaccine boycotts
5 years ago

In Pakistan, polio makes a comeback amid vaccine boycotts

Al Jazeera  

Ali Zai, Pakistan – Clad in a colourful floral shalwar kameez, her head draped in a brown shawl against the winter chill, Kainat Mohmand goes door to door to make sure no child in this northern Pakistani village is left behind. “Whenever a government comes, they conduct transfers on a large scale These people, they kept on changing like anything.” …

Two killed in attack targeting polio vaccination team in Pakistan
5 years ago

Two killed in attack targeting polio vaccination team in Pakistan

Al Jazeera  

Officers killed while on their way to accompany a polio vaccination team in northwest Lower Dir district. At least two policemen have been killed in an attack targeting a polio vaccination drive in northwest Pakistan, officials say, the latest in a series of attacks targeting eradication efforts in one of only three countries in the world where the disease remains …

The War on Polio Just Entered Its Most Dangerous Phase
55 years ago

The War on Polio Just Entered Its Most Dangerous Phase

Wired  

The oral vaccine also confers immunity in a less predictable manner. But it also means that a child who has received the weakened vaccine virus can pass the protective variety along instead, making them a secondary source of protection for other children who didn’t receive the drops. Roughly once out of every 2.5 million doses given, the weakened vaccine virus …

WHO welcomes ‘historic step’ in fight against polio
5 years, 2 months ago

WHO welcomes ‘historic step’ in fight against polio

Al Jazeera  

The UN health agency says a second strain of polio virus eradicated, meaning only polio type 1 still circulating. The World Health Organization has welcomed a “historic step” towards a polio-free world as an expert panel certified that the second of three types of the crippling virus has been eradicated globally. Countries must strengthen routine immunisation to protect communities, ramp …

Polio was nearly extinct. Then the anti-vaxx movement reached Pakistan
5 years, 4 months ago

Polio was nearly extinct. Then the anti-vaxx movement reached Pakistan

LA Times  

A Pakistani policeman stands guard as health workers carry out a door-to-door polio immunization campaign on the outskirts of Islamabad on April 26, 2019. “The polio virus can disable a child and will not kill him, but our children will die of hunger if we surrender to the government’s new taxes.” Rehman was wrong about the virus — which attacks …

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