Health
WHO rolls out measles vaccination campaign to fight ongoing outbreak
More than 1.2 million children aged 6 to 59 months are earmarked to be vaccinated during the current measles vaccination campaign in Afghanistan, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement.
According to WHO, about 9,200 health workers, volunteers, supervisors, and monitors have been mobilized to cover 49 districts in 24 provinces in a week-long campaign that started on Saturday. The campaign will wrap up on Thursday.
WHO in Afghanistan is supporting the Afghan Ministry of Public Health and provincial health authorities in the management of the vaccination.
“This measles immunization campaign is part of the national response measure to stop the spread of the outbreak, save lives of young children and reduce the burden on health systems”, says Dr Luo Dapeng, WHO Representative in Afghanistan, who joined the campaign in Malek Mohammad Khan District Hospital in Wardak province.
“I appeal to every parent to bring your kids for vaccination and give them the best gift of being protected from life-threatening but preventable disease. I also appeal to everyone to protect the health workers; they are protecting your children and it is your duty to ensure their safety.”
Afghanistan has been experiencing a measles resurgence that started at the beginning of 2021. From January 2021 to 13 March 2022, there have been 48,366 cases and 250 deaths.
In 2022 alone, there have been over 18,000 cases and 142 children have died of measles in the country.
“The rise in measles cases in Afghanistan is especially concerning because of the extremely high levels of malnutrition. Malnutrition weakens immunity, making people more vulnerable to illness and death from diseases like measles – especially children,” said Dapeng.
Health
Nationwide polio vaccination campaign kicks off across Afghanistan
Afghanistan launched a polio vaccination campaign on Monday aimed at protecting around 10.72 million children under the age of 5, the Health Ministry announced.
The four-day campaign will cover 31 of the country’s 34 provinces.
Vaccinations in Ghor, Daikundi and Bamiyan provinces will be implemented later due to recent rains and cold weather, the ministry said in a statement.
“Together with our partners, we are committed to eradicating polio from Afghanistan,” said Dr Qalandar Ebad, the acting minister of public health.
“We will work tirelessly and continue polio vaccination campaigns and complementary health services until we reach the goal of fully eradicating polio.”
The ministry urged religious scholars and local elders to cooperate with vaccine providers to fight polio, a debilitating disease that can lead to paralysis and death.
In December, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the repatriation of migrants from neighboring Pakistan has increased the risk of spreading the virus. Since then, Afghanistan has conducted at least three rounds of nationwide vaccinations.
Vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan often face challenges due to conspiracy theories that polio vaccines cause infertility or that vaccinators are spies.
Health
Azerbaijan urged to help improve capacity of Afghan health workers
Acting Minister of Public Health Qalandar Ebad, in a meeting with Azerbaijan’s ambassador, Ilham Mohammadov, called for the country’s assistance in improving the capacity of Afghanistan’s health workers.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in the health sector, capacity building of Afghan health workers, and Azerbaijan’s role in the health sector and other issues, according to a statement released by the Public Health Ministry.
Azerbaijan’s envoy said that his country seeks to cooperate with Afghanistan in a sustainable manner in the field of health.
In other news, the foundation stone for the construction of oxygen production facility was laid at the Indira Gandhi children hospital in Kabul.
Officials of the Ministry of Public Health said that the facility will be built with the financial and technical assistance of the World Health Organization, and with the capacity to produce 200 cylinders of oxygen daily to meet not only the needs of the hospital, but also other health facilities.
Health
Balkh health officials report sharp increase in number of cancer patients
Balkh Public Health Department officials say there has been a significant increase in the number of patients with cancer in the province.
“In 1401, about 2,613 OPD (out patient department) cases were registered with us. In 1402, these figures were 4,912 cases,” said Ehsanullah Kaliwal, the head of the oncology department at Balkh Regional Hospital.
Some doctors say genetic factors, environmental pollution, arbitrary use of medicines, and excessive consumption of meat were reasons for the sharp increase.
One doctor said cancer was also hereditry.
However, a large percentage of cancer patients in Balkh have stomach cancer. Many of them have appealed for the government to improve treatment facilities.
According to health officials, in the first month of this solar year (April), 423 cancer patients visited this hospital for treatment.
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