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 plan (2012–2013), in the presence of Her Excellency, Dr Suraya Dalil, Minister of Public Heath, and other main development partners supporting the joint efforts towards the polio eradication target.

H.E. President Karzai restated his personal commitment and leadership of a ‘whole of government and society approach’ to enhance eradication efforts, including the introduction of innovative mechanisms to secure access to children in areas of insecurity and increased oversight to strengthen the management and accountability of the national polio programme, particularly in the high-risk southern provinces.

President Karzai’s endorsement of the national plan coincided with the third nationwide immunization campaign being conducted in Afghanistan from 16–18 of September 2012.