Afghanistan’s Acting Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, has held talks with officials from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, as well as representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF on expanding routine immunization and strengthening primary healthcare services across the country, the Ministry of Public Health said on Tuesday.

According to the ministry, the meeting focused on improving access to primary healthcare, increasing routine vaccination coverage and reviewing Gavi’s continued support for Afghanistan’s health sector.

Jalali said combating vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles and polio, remains one of the ministry’s top priorities. He added that efforts are also underway to expand preventive healthcare services and improve access to essential medical care, particularly in underserved communities.

The minister said Afghanistan’s National Vaccination Strategy and National Health Strategy are in the final stages of preparation and will soon be shared with relevant stakeholders to support coordinated implementation.

Routine immunization remains a critical challenge in Afghanistan, where years of conflict, economic hardship and limited access to healthcare have left millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases. International organizations continue to support vaccination campaigns and efforts to strengthen the country’s fragile health system.

According to the ministry, Gavi officials reaffirmed that Afghanistan remains one of the alliance’s priority countries and pledged to continue supporting immunization programmes and broader health initiatives aimed at protecting the country’s most vulnerable populations.

Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has called for closer international cooperation to strengthen the country’s healthcare system, stressing that health and humanitarian assistance should remain separate from political considerations.

During a meeting with Hanan Balkhy, the World Health Organization’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and her delegation, Muttaqi discussed ways to improve Afghanistan’s health sector and accelerate efforts to eradicate polio, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Balkhy reaffirmed the WHO’s commitment to supporting Afghanistan’s healthcare system and appealed for the continued cooperation of the Islamic Emirate in implementing nationwide polio vaccination campaigns.

Muttaqi reiterated his support for polio eradication initiatives and highlighted the need to establish advanced cancer diagnosis and treatment centres, improve medical equipment in health facilities, and strengthen the skills of healthcare professionals.

He also emphasized that health, humanitarian and trade cooperation should not be influenced by political issues, saying that keeping these sectors separate is essential to ensuring aid and critical health services reach the Afghan people.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health has announced that Abdul Basir Qane, Director General of Drug and Health Products Regulation at the ministry’s Food and Drug Deputy, held talks with Uzbek health officials during his visit to Uzbekistan to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, Qane and his technical delegation met with Abdullah Azizov, head of Uzbekistan’s regulatory authority for medical and pharmaceutical industries, along with other senior officials.

The two sides discussed expanding cooperation in the production and regulation of medicines and health products, facilitating the entry of Uzbek pharmaceutical manufacturers into the Afghan market, implementing inspections in line with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, streamlining the registration process for medicines, and increasing bilateral trade in pharmaceutical products.

The discussions also covered the development of laboratory infrastructure, capacity building and training for specialists, the exchange of expertise in regulatory and inspection fields, and broader technical and professional cooperation between the two countries.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening long-term cooperation in the pharmaceutical and health products sector, supporting the activities of pharmaceutical companies in both markets, and continuing dialogue on mutually beneficial joint projects, the ministry said.