A national strategy for the control of rabies is currently being developed by the Ministry of Public Health of AfghanistanRabies remains a major public health concern in Afghanistan. The Disease Early Warning System collects data on dog bite cases through a wireless system, from district hospitals and investigates suspected rabies events. From...

Suicide prevention is possible but primary prevention requires broad modifications of social and economic conditionsThe aim of World Suicide Prevention Day, which is celebrated annually on 10 September, is to raise awareness among the scientific community and the general population that suicide is preventable. Suicide is a social problem. Currently,...

The national emergency action plan for polio focuses on improving vaccination quality in the southern provincesA third nationwide immunization campaign will take place in Afghanistan from 16 to 18 of September 2012. Under the campaign 8.3 million children under-5 years of age will receive two drops of anti-polio vaccine. Polio vaccinators will also...

Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, inaugurating the training and care centre for severe acute malnutrition treatment at the Indira Gandhi Child Institute26 July 2012 – Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, visited Afghanistan from 24 to 25 July. He was accompanied by Dr Bruce Aylward,...

About 27 000 health workers, volunteers and community mobilizers fanned out across 17 provinces of Afghanistan in a drive to eradicate measles and polio from the country under a WHO/UNICEF-supported government campaign10 July 2012 – WHO supported the preparation and launch of a vaccination campaign drive integrating both measles and polio...

11 October 2011 – An outbreak of cholera was reported from Ghanikhil in the Shinwar district, Nangarhar, on 11 October 2011. A DEWS focal point in Ghanikhil reported 17 cases of acute watery diarrhoea admitted to hospital. Samples from three admitted cases were positive for Vibrio cholerae serotype Ogawa. No deaths were reported. Stream and open well...

A man taking his daughter to receive a polio vaccination during the conducting of a national immunization day in Afghanistan29 April 2012 – World Vaccination Week was celebrated in Kabul on 29 April 2012 in the presence of Dr Suraya Dalil, Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan, Mr Sediq Patman, Deputy Minister of Education, Peter Crowley,...

The Global Fund provides funding for practical health initiativeThe Global Fund to Fights AIDs, TB and Malaria is a multi-billion dollar international financing mechanism intended to help advance the fight against AIDs, tuberculosis and malaria by dramatically increasing the availability of funding for practical health initiatives.  Funded...