Afghanistan has launched a nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting over 12.7 million children under five, as health officials strive to curb ongoing wild poliovirus cases amid uneven coverage and persistent challenges.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health has begun a nationwide polio vaccination drive targeting more than 12.7 million children under the age of five, in the latest effort to stop the spread of a disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The campaign is due to run from Monday to Thursday, with an extra day planned in southern provinces, and will use oral polio vaccine drops, according to the ministry and regional reports.
The government’s push comes as the World Health Organisation reported that Afghanistan had recorded 25 confirmed cases of wild poliovirus type 1 as of September 13, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing health workers. WHO has said Afghanistan continues to run intensive vaccination rounds, while also warning that campaign quality remains uneven in parts of the south, where many children are still not being reached.
Afghanistan remains one of only two countries where polio is still endemic, alongside Pakistan, and public health officials have repeatedly warned that gaps in access and coverage leave children vulnerable. Earlier vaccination rounds in Afghanistan have aimed to reach more than 11 million children, while U.S. health data showed routine coverage improving in 2023 but still leaving significant room for progress.
Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil, the ministry spokesman, has urged tribal elders, religious scholars and parents to work with vaccination teams so the campaign can reach every eligible child. Health authorities say broad community cooperation is vital if Afghanistan is to move closer to eliminating a virus that global eradication programmes have spent decades trying to defeat.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
