A Taliban official previously dismissed over corruption allegations has been reappointed to a senior position in the Public Health Ministry, according to multiple people familiar with the matter, raising new concerns about oversight in a sector heavily reliant on international aid.
The official, Abdul Hakim Himmat, has been appointed head of the ministry’s Expanded Program on Immunization despite earlier allegations of financial misconduct, the sources said.
They said Himmat had been removed from his post under a previous health minister, Qalandar Ebad, following accusations of corruption. Under internal ministry rules, officials dismissed on such grounds are barred from returning to the ministry for two years, the sources added.
However, after Noor Jalal Jalali became the Taliban health minister, Himmat was reappointed to the position, in what sources described as a move that violated those regulations.
Himmat is accused of financial misconduct linked to a nationwide measles vaccination campaign, which sources say was undermined by irregularities in procurement and logistics.
One source said the alleged corruption involved the transport of vaccines using non-standard vehicles, even though higher costs for proper transport had been recorded in official budgets.
Another source said the irregularities may have contributed to the failure of a $30 million measles response program supported by the World Health Organization.
This comes as measles cases and related deaths remain a serious concern in Afghanistan. According to available data, around 200 children have died from the disease, with more than 9,300 cases reported in 2024 and an additional 8,500 cases recorded by August 2025.
Despite this, Taliban health authorities have continued to claim progress in controlling the disease.
The reappointment comes amid a wider corruption investigation within the Health Ministry.
In recent weeks, Taliban intelligence forces have detained several officials linked to the ministry, including in raids on the minister’s office and residence in Kabul, according to sources familiar with the matter. Some of those detained have since been released, while others remain in custody.
In response to two exclusive reports by Amu TV on corruption cases in the ministry, the Taliban public health ministry spokesman this week acknowledged that some employees of the ministry had been questioned or temporarily restricted as part of efforts to ensure transparency, without confirming specific cases.
The ministry did not respond to requests for comment on Himmat’s reappointment.
Afghanistan’s health system depends heavily on international support, with organizations such as the World Health Organization playing a central role in funding vaccination campaigns and basic services.
