KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A new round of polio vaccinations is set to begin across Afghanistan on Monday, April 21, as part of efforts to eliminate the virus in one of the last two countries where it remains endemic.
Polio Free Afghanistan, an initiative dedicated to eliminating the virus, announced the campaign in a post on X (formerly Twitter), urging families to vaccinate their children against polio to prevent permanent paralysis.
“Polio has no cure, but it is preventable through vaccination, let’s vaccinate all our children under the age of five during the campaign,” the group said.
No additional details have been provided so far, including how long the campaign will last or how many children are expected to be reached.
This marks the third round of polio vaccinations in Afghanistan this year. According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), around 11.6 million children were vaccinated against polio in the country in 2024.
Polio is a highly contagious virus that primarily affects children under five. It attacks the nervous system and can cause paralysis or death. Although there is no cure, the disease can be prevented through immunization.
Thanks to decades of global vaccination campaigns, polio has been nearly eradicated worldwide. However, Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan remain the only countries where the virus still circulates.
Afghanistan has recorded one positive case so far this year, involving a child in the northwestern province of Badghis. In 2024, the country reported 25 cases, mostly in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand.
Neighboring Pakistan has recorded at least six cases this year. Last year, it documented 74 infections, with the majority found in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
Vaccination drives in both countries face major hurdles. Misinformation and conspiracy theories—such as false claims linking the vaccine to infertility or espionage—have led some communities to reject immunization.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban has long hindered polio eradication efforts and attacked health workers, especially in the southern regions. The group now faces significant challenges in combating the disease.
