KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A new polio vaccination campaign began across 20 provinces in Afghanistan on Monday, the “Polio Free Afghanistan” initiative announced, marking the country’s second immunization drive of 2026 in one of only two countries where the virus remains endemic.
In a post on X, the initiative said the four-day campaign will vaccinate around 8.3 million children under the age of five across 194 districts in 20 provinces. It added that a separate round is scheduled to begin on Tuesday in southern provinces, where the risk of transmission remains highest.
The initiative urged parents and communities to ensure children receive the vaccine against the highly infectious disease. “Let us make Afghanistan safe and bright by vaccinating our children!” it said.
This marks the second nationwide vaccination round this year, following a countrywide campaign conducted a month earlier. The efforts are carried out in cooperation with international health organizations, including WHO.
Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan are the only nations where wild poliovirus continues to circulate despite global eradication initiatives spanning decades. Health authorities in both countries continue to grapple with insecurity in certain areas, persistent misinformation about vaccines, and community resistance, especially in border regions.
At least three cases of wild poliovirus have been confirmed in Afghanistan so far in 2026, all in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmand. Last year, the country recorded nine cases, mostly in eastern and southern regions bordering Pakistan.
Pakistan simultaneously launched a sub-national polio vaccination campaign on Monday, targeting around 19 million children across 79 districts, according to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme. The country has reported three polio cases this year and recorded 31 cases in 2025, primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, which border Afghanistan.
WHO and Health officials continue to emphasize that cross-border movement, insecurity in remote areas, and misinformation about vaccines remain key obstacles to eradication efforts. They say coordinated campaigns are critical to preventing further spread of the virus.
