蜜芽传媒

Polio should be a public health success story - there's a vaccine for it, so the disease should have joined smallpox as a naturally occurring disease wiped out by science. But it still clings on Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Part of the problem has been opposition from groups like the Taliban, which kidnapped and killed health officials conducting vaccinations as western spies. But today, with Taliban support and help from the WHO and UNICEF, Afghanistan is resuming a house to house polio vaccination campaign targeting 3 million children.

Dr Naik Wali Shah Momin is the National Emergency Operations Coordinator for Afghanistan Public health Ministry and is in charge of the polio campaign. He rejects criticism of the Taliban's previous actions.

"I think this is a misunderstanding. The Taliban and Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is always there to help their own people, their children and their women. We are very pro this campaign."

(Photo: An Afghan child is given a vaccine in 2016. Credit: Getty Images)

Show less