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Polio-Free Afghanistan to roll out new campaign
The World Health Organization reported that three new wild polio cases were reported last week in Pakistan; no new cases were reported in Afghanistan
The Polio-Free Afghanistan organization said Sunday it plans to roll out a new campaign from Monday across different regions of the country.
The organization did not however specify the regions nor how many children they will reach.
This comes after the World Health Organization reported on Thursday that three new wild polio cases were reported in the week from Pakistan.
No new cases were reported last week in Afghanistan.
However, WHO has stated that the total number of wild polio cases in Afghanistan last year are at 25 and Pakistan reported 73.
This was against the total case count of 12 in 2023 – six in Afghanistan and six in Pakistan.
Last month, the Ministry of Public Health announced that they had started a polio vaccination campaign in a number of provinces of the country in coordination with international organizations.
According to a press release from the ministry, at least 5.3 million children under the age of five received the polio vaccine in 11 provinces of the country.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not yet been eradicated and is still claiming the lives of children.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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