Afghanistan is set to initiate a nationwide polio vaccination campaign on September 21 as health officials race to curb an increase in cases and address ongoing access hurdles amidst security and logistical issues.
Afghanistan will launch a nationwide polio vaccination drive on September 21, with health workers urging parents to bring children under five forward for oral doses of the vaccine. The Polio Free Afghanistan initiative said teams will operate across the country, although workers in the south are due to begin a day later, underscoring the difficulties of reaching every area in a campaign that remains central to efforts to stop transmission.
The push comes after a rise in concern in Nangarhar province, where health officials have recently confirmed five polio cases this year. Local reporting from Ariana News, TOLOnews and other Afghan outlets has linked the province’s continuing infections to the wider threat across the east, where the virus has remained active in communities and, in some cases, contaminated water and poor sanitation have been cited as contributing factors.
International health agencies say Afghanistan is still one of only two countries where wild poliovirus type 1 continues to spread, alongside Pakistan. According to the World Health Organisation, Afghanistan recorded 14 new cases in the latest reporting period, although the overall trend in both detected cases and environmental samples has been lower than in earlier years. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also said that progress has been slowed by population movement and operational obstacles that make sustained vaccination coverage difficult.
Health officials and aid agencies have repeatedly warned that the campaign is being hampered by access problems, including the suspension of house-to-house vaccination in many places. UNICEF has said gaps in routine immunisation, along with displacement and limited healthcare access, continue to leave children exposed. The Polio Free Afghanistan initiative says the vaccine is safe and effective, and has urged families to have children vaccinated in every round, even if they have received doses before, as part of the effort to prevent paralysis and eventually eliminate the disease.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
