Covid-19 testing, vaccination declining in Afghanistan since August: WHO

Agencies | Kabul

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that there has been a drop in Covid-19 testing and vaccinations in Afghanistan since August and nearly 1.6 million doses of vaccine could expire if not used quickly, local media has said.

The WHO and its partners are boosting testing and supporting the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination campaign in 16 provinces of Afghanistan in an attempt to address the issue, reported Khaama Press citing the UN health body.

Taliban took control of the country in August.

Recently, the UN health body flew 50,000 Covid-19 testing kits to Afghanistan and to fill gaps at labs and 1,50,000 more kits are in the pipeline.

A microscope lab was completed in Nimroz province in September and in Kunar province on Tuesday. And the process for establishing labs in Parwan, Laghman and Kapisa is also underway.

After completion of these facilities, Afghanistan will have 36 WHO-supported labs.

The UN health body sent life-saving medicines and medical supplies to 360 health facilities in Afghanistan since August in an attempt to cover the health needs of 3.9 million people.

On Wednesday, supplies were sent to two hospitals in Kabul and WHO provincial offices for onward distribution. The supplies will cover the health needs of 50,000 people in Afghanistan, the organisation stated, according to Khaama Press.