India sends 13 tonnes of BCG vaccines to support Afghanistan’s child immunisation drive
India on Tuesday announced that it has supplied 13 tonnes of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccines along with related dry materials to Afghanistan, aimed at strengthening the country’s child immunisation programme against tuberculosis.
The consignment was delivered to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a post on X, stated that the shipment is intended to augment Afghanistan’s ongoing efforts to protect children from tuberculosis through vaccination.
India has continued to extend humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, including medical supplies and relief materials, as part of its broader outreach to the Afghan people.
Earlier, on April 5, India had dispatched humanitarian aid to support regions affected by recent floods and an earthquake. The assistance included kitchen sets, hygiene kits, tarpaulins, plastic sheets and sleeping bags. “India stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and remains committed to extending humanitarian assistance and support during this challenging time,” Jaiswal had said.
According to Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, heavy rains and flooding recently destroyed 131 houses and partially damaged 650 more, while over 3,000 jeribs of agricultural land were affected. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration has criticised the United Nations’ sanctions regime following recent updates to its listings targeting senior leaders.
Responding to the development, spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid described the sanctions as “unreasonable and ineffective,” arguing that such measures harm ordinary citizens rather than decision-makers. The remarks came after the United Nations Security Council’s 1988 Sanctions Committee revised identifying details for four senior Taliban figures, including Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Abdul Ghani Baradar, Amir Khan Muttaqi and Hedayatullah Badri. (ANI inputs)
