What's happened
Recent attacks on polio vaccination teams in Pakistan and the suspension of vaccination efforts in Afghanistan have raised concerns about the resurgence of polio in both countries. With 18 new cases reported in Afghanistan this year and ongoing violence against health workers, the future of polio eradication efforts is uncertain as both nations struggle with security and public trust issues.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Independent, the recent assault on a polio worker in Jacobabad, Pakistan, has highlighted the dangers faced by health workers, with local police stating that two suspects remain at large. The article emphasizes that such attacks are rare but have raised alarms about the safety of vaccination teams. In contrast, The Guardian reports on Afghanistan's suspension of polio vaccinations due to security concerns, noting that the Taliban's shift from house-to-house campaigns to mosque-based immunizations could hinder efforts to reach vulnerable children. The World Health Organization has confirmed a significant increase in polio cases in both countries, with Afghanistan reporting 18 cases this year, up from six in 2023. This situation underscores the urgent need for effective vaccination strategies and public trust to combat the resurgence of polio.
How we got here
Polio remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with both countries facing significant challenges in vaccination efforts. The Taliban's recent suspension of house-to-house vaccinations in Afghanistan and ongoing violence against health workers in Pakistan have jeopardized years of progress in eradicating the disease.
More on these topics
-
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country with a population exceeding 212.2 million. It is the 33rd-largest country by area, spanning 881,913 square kilometres.
-
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia.
-
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution, which establishes the agency's governing structure and principles, states its main objective as "the attainment
-
The Taliban or Taleban, who refer to themselves as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, are a Sunni Islamic fundamentalist political movement and military organization in Afghanistan currently waging war within that country.
-
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the northwestern region of the country along the International border with Afghanistan.
-
Gaza may refer to:
-
Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada is a political and religious leader who is the third Supreme Commander of the Taliban. He is given the title of Emir-al-Mumineen by Taliban which is also the title which his two predecessors had carried.
-
Sindh is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeast of the country, it is the home of the Sindhi people. Sindh is the third largest province of Pakistan by area, and second largest province by population after Punjab.