The Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Launches a National Vaccination Campaign to Prevent Measles

The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Health Services Mawlawi Abdul Wali Haqqani, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Qudratullah Jamal, senior Ministry officials, WHO and UNICEF representatives, and media. Deputy Minister Haqqani stressed the importance of effective vaccination and urged religious scholars and the public to cooperate with health workers.

He thanked international partners for their support and called for greater collaboration to improve health outcomes. He noted significant progress in controlling measles.

Dr. Haidar Khan Haidar, Director of Preventive Medicine, said the campaign will run in two phases nationwide to prevent disease spread.

Sheikh Mohammad Tahir Haleem, Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Public Health, emphasized vaccination's importance from an Islamic perspective on immunity and prevention.

Dr. Abdul Hakim Hemat, Head of National Immunization, warned unvaccinated children face higher infection risks and urged parents to vaccinate their children during the campaign

WHO and UNICEF representatives stressed the need for full coverage to maximize impact and reaffirmed their support for the Ministry’s efforts.

The campaign’s first phase covers 17 provinces, including Kabul, Balkh, and others; the remaining 17 provinces will be covered in the second phase. Children aged six months to ten years will be vaccinated.