GARDEZ – A polio vaccinator was shot and killed and another person wounded in Gardez, the center of Paktia province, sources in the province told Amu on Monday.
The incident occurred early this morning (Monday, May 26) in the “Boland Manzel” area of Gardez city.
According to the sources, the vaccinators were shot after they knocked on a door to vaccinate children. Following the homeowner’s refusal, the vaccinators reportedly reiterated their request for the children to be brought out for vaccination, at which point shots were fired from inside the house.
Details regarding the condition of the injured individual are not yet available. The Taliban have not commented on the incident.
The attack comes amid the Taliban’s ban on house-to-house polio vaccination campaigns across Afghanistan. Vaccinators are now required to administer vaccines at designated locations, such as mosques.
Rise in polio cases since Taliban takeover
The incidence of positive polio cases in Afghanistan has significantly increased since the Taliban’s return to power. The last solar year (corresponding roughly to March 2023-March 2024) saw a nearly fourfold increase in cases compared to the previous year. Kandahar and Helmand provinces have recorded the highest numbers of polio cases.
Since the Taliban’s takeover, 25 positive polio cases have been registered nationwide. Of these, 11 cases were in Kandahar, 8 in Helmand, 2 in Uruzgan, and 1 each in Paktika, Kunar, Nuristan, and Badghis provinces.
Some citizens report that with the cessation of house-to-house polio vaccinations, they are often unaware of the presence of vaccination teams in their areas, putting their children’s health at serious risk.
Taliban halted house-to-house vaccinations in September of last solar year, initially in Kandahar and Helmand provinces, and subsequently across other provinces. This decision has placed children at greater risk of polio.
According to citizens, this Taliban policy has contributed to the rise in polio cases in the country.
