WHO, Unicef launch Afghan polio vaccine campaign with Taliban backing

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations children's agency, United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), kicked off a polio vaccination campaign in Afghanistan on Monday, the first nationwide campaign to fight the disease in three years.

Naikwali Shah Momim, WHO's emergency operations coordinator for the polio programme, told Reuters the campaign had started in various parts of the country on Monday, but added there were several hurdles around a shortage of trained staff.

The campaign, which is aimed at reaching over 3 million children, had received Taliban backing, which would allow teams to reach children in previously...