'"We're Not Against Polio Immunisation": Taliban', IRIN News, 25 March 2009

EXCERPT: "A Taliban spokesman has said the Taliban are not against polio immunisation campaigns in areas under their influence or control. A statement to this effect was made to IRIN in a telephone interview with the insurgents? chief spokesman, Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, from an unidentified location. 'We are not against polio immunisation and we have not impeded vaccinators in areas under our control,' said Ahmadi, adding that government and foreign forces should not try to use immunisation exercises for military and political gain. 'Vaccinators must coordinate with us before they begin the process,' he said. Such claims may seem hard to believe given persistent accusations over the years of systematic Taliban attacks on health centres, the aid community and other civilians. The UN and the MoPH have said about 200,000 children, mostly in the volatile southern provinces, have missed out on polio immunisation."

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See also:
'World Bank continues to support Afghanistan's health sector', ReliefWeb, 24 March 2009
'', AFP, 15 March 2009
'Experts say Afghan factor behind polio cases', The News International, 6 March 2009

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