Despite continued support from international organizations and repeated vaccination campaigns against polio, measles, pertussis, and other deadly diseases, many children in Uruzgan remain unvaccinated and at serious risk, according to Dr. Bakht Mohammad Mustafa, head of the Emergency Polio Center at the provincial Public Health Department.
He reports that deep-rooted misconceptions and limited public awareness have resulted in 30 percent of children in the province missing the polio vaccine, leaving a significant portion of the population vulnerable to preventable diseases.
Dr. Mustafa says that around 276,000 children under the age of five are currently receiving various vaccines with the support of community health volunteers.
However, he notes that in several districts—including parts of Tarinkot—families continue to reject vaccination due to persistent myths and low awareness. He adds that while vaccination coverage has improved from 60 percent in previous years, resistance within some communities remains a major obstacle.
UNICEF reports that in high-risk and hard-to-reach areas of southern Afghanistan, including Uruzgan, “pockets of families remain adamant in refusing vaccination due to deep-rooted myths, misinformed religious beliefs, and widespread rumors.”
According to UNICEF, although approximately 11.6 million children under five across Afghanistan received polio vaccines in 2024, new polio cases continue to emerge, demonstrating that vaccine acceptance and access remain major challenges. In provinces like Uruzgan, remote or previously inaccessible districts require focused community engagement, with local social mobilizers—often women—playing a crucial role in overcoming resistance and misconceptions.
Local residents say misconceptions about polio vaccination remain widespread in remote areas and that authorities have not fully succeeded in convincing communities.
Mohammad Azim, a resident of Chinar Too in Tarinkot district, says many villagers refuse vaccination, believing it will harm their children in the future. He calls on authorities to strengthen awareness efforts. “Many families say they will not vaccinate their children and claim vaccines either harm them or are part of a foreign plot. We urge the government to improve public awareness,” he said.
Pediatrician Dr. Mohammad Salim Haleem of the Uruzgan Provincial Hospital emphasizes that non-vaccination puts children at serious risk, leaving them defenseless against dangerous diseases and increasing the chance of transmitting infections to others.
“Vaccines are the safest and most effective way to strengthen a child’s immune system,” he said. “Without vaccination, children remain vulnerable to polio, measles, tetanus, and other life-threatening diseases. It is our responsibility to ensure they are protected.”
