Afghanistan’s Taliban-run Ministry of Public Health has announced that during a meeting with a high-level United Nations delegation, discussions focused on expanding health cooperation, coordinating international organizations, and strengthening the fight against the polio virus. The meeting included senior officials from international organizations and representatives from several aid agencies.

According to the ministry’s statement, participants included Dr. Hanan Balkhi, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, senior UNICEF representatives, the Qatari ambassador to Afghanistan, the head of the WHO office in Afghanistan, the head of the polio section from the Bill Gates Foundation, a representative from the King Salman Foundation, and several other officials.

Mawlavi Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health, described the meeting as important for enhancing cooperation across various health sectors, particularly polio eradication, and expressed gratitude for the international organizations’ collaboration. He conveyed hope that the issues raised would be followed up with practical action and that health partners would fulfill their responsibilities effectively.