Amid persistent wild poliovirus cases, Afghanistan launches a renewed nationwide immunisation campaign aiming to curb ongoing transmission despite challenges in reaching all children across diverse provinces.
Afghanistan has launched a fresh nationwide child immunisation drive as health officials race to contain wild poliovirus, which continues to surface despite years of eradication campaigns. The latest effort comes after the World Health Organization said 15 cases had been confirmed by the end of July 2026, with infections reported across Nangarhar, Kunar, Helmand, Herat, Kabul, Zabul and Paktia, underlining how widely the virus is still circulating.
The new campaign is part of a broader push by the Ministry of Public Health and international partners to protect children against preventable disease. Earlier this year, the ministry said it had begun a subnational polio campaign in February targeting around 7.3 million children in 172 districts across 18 provinces, with colder weather forcing postponements in Daikundi, Bamyan and later Ghor. In April, officials followed with the year’s first national campaign, aiming to reach about 12.6 million children under five.
The persistence of new cases has complicated those efforts. In June, WHO reported two further infections, taking the year’s total then to six, and also noted 34 positive environmental samples, a sign that the virus remained active in several areas. The cases were identified in Kunar and Helmand, two provinces that have repeatedly featured in Afghanistan’s polio surveillance data.
Health authorities have continued to urge families, tribal elders and religious leaders to back vaccination teams, stressing that repeated rounds are needed to interrupt transmission. The figures so far this year suggest that, despite renewed campaigns, Afghanistan remains one of the last places where wild poliovirus continues to pose a serious public health threat.
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