The first interministerial task force on polio eradication was held on 11 December 2012. The meeting was chaired by Dr Najia Tariq, Deputy Minister of Public Health, and attended by Dr Faizullah Kakar, Advisor to the President on Health and Education and National Focal Point for Polio Eradication, representatives from donors, line ministries, WHO...

H. E. Dr Faizullah Kakar, Advisor to the President on Health, Dr Najia Tariq, Deputy Minister of Public Health, Dr Taufiq Mashal, General Director Preventive Medicine, Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General for Polio and Dr Ahmed F. Shadoul, WHO Representative for Afghanistan, present the certificate to the family of Rafiq AhmadThe late...

Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and Dr Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General WHO headquarters, will visit Afghanistan from 26–27 November 2012. The main objective of this visit is to attend meeting of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Poliomyelitis Eradication in Afghanistan. Prior to the TAG meeting,...

WHO has donated two fully equipped ambulances to the Afghanistan National Blood Safety and Transfusion Services on 15 November 2012. These vans will support the drive for blood donation services in Afghanistan. Ministry of Public Health and WHO signed a memorandum of understanding in a ceremony which was attended by Ministry officials and the...

WHO Afghanistan joins the national immunization programme to launch a second nationwide measles vaccination campaign in November. This campaign will target 18 provinces and reach approximately 5 million children (nine months–10 years); thus ensuring a country-wide outreach: last July, more than 6 million received measles vaccine in the other 16...

This year’s Global Handwashing Day in Afghanistan is dedicated to the eradication of polio and to raising awareness of the role and importance of handwashing and appropriate hygiene practices in the eradication of polioOn 16October 2012, the Ministries of Public Health, Education, Rural Rehabilitation and Development, along with WHO and UNICEF,...

The theme of World SIght Day in Afghanistan is "Equitable eye care services for all Afghans".On 14 October 2012, the WHO country office in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Public Health and the Noor Eye Care Hospital of Kabul celebrated World Sight Day. The National Committee for the Prevention of Blindness and the Ministry of Public Health chose...

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon declared the eradication of polio a top priority on 27 September 2012Afghanistan will conduct its fourth round of nationwide national immunization days from 14–16 October 2012. This round is crucial following endorsement of the national polio emergency action plan and declaration of polio eradication as a top...

Dr Ahmad Abd El Rahmani, Medical Officer for Health System Strengthening, and Dr Shadoul, WHO Representative for Afghanistan, meet with H.E. Minister of Higher Education Obaidulla Obaid to strengthen medical education in AfghanistanOn 7October 2012, WHO Representative for Afghanistan Dr Ahmed Shadoul and Dr Ahmad Abd El Rahmani, senior Medical...

In September, Her Excellency, Dr Suraya Dalil, Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan, HE President Hamid Karzai and Dr Taufiq Mashal, Director of the General Directorate for Primary Health Care and Preventive MedicineHis Excellency, Mr Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan, officially signed the national polio eradication emergency action...