Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health, with support from international partners, has launched the first nationwide polio vaccination campaign of 2026.

The three-day campaign aims to vaccinate approximately 12.6 million children under the age of five, according to the ministry.

Officials said the initiative is a key step toward preventing the spread of the poliovirus and strengthening child health nationwide.

The ministry confirmed that the campaign has been postponed in Daikundi and Bamiyan provinces due to cold weather conditions, while in Ghor province it will be conducted one week later.

Minister of Public Health Noor Jalal Jalali said at the launch that the ministry, in cooperation with international partners, remains committed to preventing the spread of polio and working toward its complete eradication in Afghanistan.

He called on religious scholars, community leaders, and families to actively support vaccination teams and contribute to the success of the nationwide campaign.

The Ministry of Public Health warned that polio is a dangerous viral disease with no cure and can only be prevented through vaccination. It added that the disease can cause permanent paralysis or even death in children if not prevented.

Health teams will be deployed across the country during the campaign to ensure effective implementation, and families have been urged to bring their children under five years of age to designated vaccination points.

On April 7, World Health Day 2026, attention has once again turned to the serious challenges facing Afghanistan’s healthcare system, where years of conflict, economic difficulties, natural disasters, and resource shortages have left millions with limited access to essential health services.

Despite these challenges, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reported that its support for 46 Basic Health Clinics and one district hospital of the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) has played a crucial role in improving healthcare access for local communities.

According to the ICRC, in 2025 around 1.2 million patients, most of them women and children, received preventive care and early treatment at these facilities. Providing care at the earliest stages of illness has helped reduce pressure on larger hospitals.

The United Nations also highlighted World Health Day by praising the efforts of healthcare workers in Afghanistan, noting that strengthening the health sector and improving access to quality care remains an urgent necessity.

Meanwhile, Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, expressed concern over restrictions on women’s access to healthcare, warning that limits on the training and work of female health staff could weaken the country’s health system.

At the same time, Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate, announced the establishment of over 400 health centers in remote areas, aiming to expand healthcare coverage and improve medical services across the country.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that in 2026 more than 14.4 million people in Afghanistan will require humanitarian health assistance. Experts note that the country’s health system remains heavily dependent on international support, as many families cannot afford private healthcare services.

In addition to general healthcare, programs addressing malnutrition have been strengthened in collaboration with UNICEF and the World Food Programme, providing therapeutic food to children suffering from malnutrition in clinics across Afghanistan.

The ICRC has also supported emergency departments in provincial hospitals during 2024–2025 to enhance emergency response, upgrade medical equipment, and train staff. Furthermore, through the Basic Emergency Care (BEC) program, 256 healthcare workers, including 115 women, received life-saving training to strengthen emergency medical services.

The continued support from humanitarian organizations plays a vital role in saving lives and ensuring vulnerable communities across Afghanistan have access to essential health services.

Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, held talks with Abdullah Azizov, head of the pharmaceutical industry development authority of Uzbekistan, and his accompanying delegation in Kabul to discuss expanding cooperation in the health sector.

The meeting focused on strengthening pharmaceutical trade, facilitating travel for Afghan patients seeking treatment in Uzbekistan, enhancing the capacity of health workers, implementing the previously signed memorandum of understanding between the two countries, and encouraging investment in pharmaceutical production in Afghanistan.

Jalali emphasized the importance of ensuring the quality of medicines, providing standardized healthcare services, and improving coordination between the two countries to deliver reliable health services to the public.

He also noted that sustained cooperation could help strengthen health systems and respond more effectively to the needs of the population, stressing that joint efforts should lead to practical and measurable progress.

Azizov expressed Uzbekistan’s readiness to expand cooperation with Afghanistan in pharmaceutical production, exports, technical knowledge transfer, and capacity building for healthcare professionals.