Afghanistan launches nationwide polio drive to protect children

Kabul [Afghanistan], July 19 : Afghanistan is set to launch a new nationwide polio vaccination campaign on July 20, targeting children under the age of five to protect them from the debilitating virus, according to the Afghanistan Polio-Free Organization, Khaama Press reported.
The campaign will be carried out across several provinces and districts and includes the administration of Vitamin A supplements alongside the oral polio vaccine to help strengthen children's immune systems. Khaama Press said this combined effort aims to boost resistance against other diseases and improve overall child health.
"The campaign aims to protect children under the age of five from the debilitating effects of polio," the organization stated, urging families to ensure that no child is left out of the initiative.
According to Khaama Press, the organization emphasized the role of parents and guardians, calling on them to collaborate with health teams and ensure full community participation. It added that people can contact the free helpline at 141 for more details about the campaign.
Polio, a highly infectious virus primarily affecting children, spreads through contaminated water and can cause fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiff neck, and limb pain.
In about one in 200 cases, the disease results in irreversible paralysis. Afghanistan and Pakistan are currently the only two countries in the world where polio remains endemic, Khaama Press noted.
Ongoing eradication efforts are seen as critical to protecting Afghan children from lifelong disability. "Polio vaccination is one of the most effective ways to ensure a healthier, brighter future for Afghan children," the organization reiterated, according to Khaama Press.
"These vaccination campaigns represent a significant step toward a polio-free future for the country," it added, stressing that continued public cooperation is essential to the success of the initiative.
In support of these efforts, Japan has provided USD 5 million through UNICEF to bolster polio eradication efforts and strengthen immunisation programs across all 34 provinces of Afghanistan, according to Khaama Press.
The Government of Japan, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has partnered with UNICEF in a 12-month initiative aimed at reaching over 13 million children with lifesaving polio vaccines and routine immunisations, Khaama Press reported.
UNICEF stated on Thursday, July 10, 2025, that the new grant reaffirms Japan's longstanding commitment to Afghanistan's health sector. It will help sustain progress toward the global goal of eradicating polio, especially in underserved, conflict-affected, and hard-to-reach areas, Khaama Press noted.
Afghanistan is one of only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus transmission has not yet been halted. While under-five and maternal mortality rates have declined in recent years, access to basic health services remains limited, leaving millions of children vulnerable to deadly and preventable diseases, Khaama Press highlighted.
A resurgence of polio in 2023 underscored the presence of major immunity gaps, particularly among children in previously unreachable locations and mobile or cross-border populations. Despite improvements in cold chain infrastructure and expanded vaccine coverage, urgent efforts are needed to bridge these gaps.