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 16 October 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 7 October 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...

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, WHO...

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...