Noor Jalal Jalali, Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan, held a meeting in Kabul with representatives of the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and other international organizations.

According to the ministry’s statement, representatives of these international organizations discussed the delivery of health and development services, improving the management of aid and resources in the health sector, integrating health facilities and aligning them with the new policy, providing health services in accordance with the Ministry of Public Health’s policy, strengthening the immunization and vaccination sector, delivering services based on priorities, and ensuring sustained coordination.

During the meeting, Jalali stressed the need for transparency and attention to the ministry’s priorities in order to enhance the effectiveness and impact of health services. He added that the delivery of health services must be carried out in line with the ministry’s policy and through better management of existing international assistance.

Referring to vaccination campaigns, he stated that the recent measles and polio vaccination campaign had been implemented very successfully, and emphasized that necessary preparations should be made for upcoming campaigns.

He also provided information regarding the review of the BPHS and EPHS health packages and the establishment of a standardized system through technical committees.

In this meeting, Edwin Ceniza, the WHO Representative for Afghanistan, reaffirmed the organization’s continued cooperation with the Ministry of Public Health and expressed appreciation to the ministry’s leadership for their tireless efforts to improve the health system.

Representatives of these organizations pledged to maintain effective and sustained coordination and to provide their services within the country in accordance with the policies and principles of the Ministry of Public Health.

Abdul Wali Haqqani, Deputy Minister for Health Services at the Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has departed for Turkey on an official visit accompanied by a high-ranking delegation.

According to a statement released by the Health Ministry on Wednesday, the trip aims to acquire new health-sector expertise, assess Turkish medical and scientific institutions, meet with Turkish health and government officials, and strengthen bilateral cooperation.

During the visit, the delegation is scheduled to meet representatives from both public and private health sectors to support improvements in Afghanistan’s healthcare system and enhance coordination between the two countries, the statement added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has once again classified the global spread of poliovirus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), warning that the disease remains endemic in only two countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The decision followed the 43rd meeting of the Polio Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR), which convened on 1 October 2025.

According to the Committee, Afghanistan reported four new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases so far this year, compared to 24 in Pakistan. The Afghan cases were detected in the country’s southern and eastern regions, where transmission remains intense despite ongoing vaccination efforts.

Environmental surveillance found 53 WPV1-positive samples in Afghanistan and 390 in Pakistan, underscoring continued circulation along the shared epidemiological corridors between the two countries.

The Committee expressed concern that Afghanistan’s site-to-site vaccination strategy, introduced after the suspension of house-to-house campaigns in October 2024 due to security concerns, leaves many children unreached and vulnerable.

The WHO report noted that Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to conduct synchronized immunization campaigns to interrupt cross-border transmission. However, challenges persist due to insecurity, vaccine hesitancy, and large-scale population movements — including the return of undocumented Afghan migrants from Pakistan.

The Committee commended both countries for maintaining strong coordination but stressed that eradication will require high-quality vaccination coverage in all border areas.

Globally, the Committee also reviewed outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs), with 143 cases recorded so far in 2025, mostly in Africa and the Middle East. Although progress toward eradication has been steady, the Committee warned that operational gaps, insecurity, and funding shortfalls could reverse gains made over the past decade.

The WHO urged Afghanistan to resume house-to-house vaccination where possible and to sustain coordination with Pakistan. It also called on donor governments to address the programme’s nearly 30% funding shortfall, warning that financial constraints threaten global eradication efforts.

The Committee unanimously agreed that the risk of international spread of poliovirus remains high, but determined that the situation does not constitute a pandemic emergency.

The temporary recommendations — including vaccination requirements for travelers from Afghanistan and Pakistan — have been extended for another three months.