Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health on Monday launched a nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting more than 12.7 million children under the age of five, as health authorities continue efforts to prevent the spread of the highly infectious disease.

The four-day campaign will run from Monday through Thursday, with vaccination activities extended through Friday in southern provinces, the ministry said in a statement.

Health workers will administer oral polio vaccine doses to children across the country as part of Afghanistan’s ongoing efforts to eradicate poliovirus and prevent new infections.

Ministry spokesperson Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil called on tribal elders, religious scholars and parents to cooperate fully with vaccination teams and facilitate access to children in communities across the country.

“Community cooperation is essential to the success of the vaccination campaign,” the ministry said, urging families to ensure that eligible children receive the vaccine.

Afghanistan remains one of the last polio-endemic countries

Afghanistan continues to face challenges in eliminating wild poliovirus, alongside neighboring Pakistan, which remains another country where transmission persists.

According to the World Health Organization, Afghanistan had recorded 25 confirmed cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) as of Sept. 13.

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects children and can cause permanent paralysis. Although there is no cure once paralysis occurs, repeated vaccination can provide strong protection and interrupt transmission.

Health authorities and international partners have continued to conduct nationwide and targeted vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, particularly in areas where poliovirus transmission has been detected.

The latest campaign is part of those continuing efforts to reach children who remain vulnerable to the virus and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a source of further transmission. (ILKHA)