UNICEF Expands Campaign Against Polio In Afghanistan's Herat Province

UNICEF said on Monday that, in cooperation with a partner organization, outreach teams are working across Herat to educate families about polio and encourage parents to vaccinate their children against the highly infectious disease.

The agency stressed that polio has no cure but can be prevented through vaccination, urging families to ensure all eligible children receive the vaccine. UNICEF added that public cooperation remains essential to eliminating the disease in Afghanistan.

Health officials warn that many remote and underserved communities in Afghanistan remain vulnerable to polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases because of limited healthcare access, poverty and gaps in immunization coverage.

Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus transmission has never been fully interrupted. Health authorities in both countries continue to face challenges including population movement across the border, insecurity in some areas and vaccine misinformation that can hinder immunization campaigns.

International health organizations have repeatedly warned that any decline in vaccination coverage could lead to new outbreaks and reverse years of progress. UNICEF, the World Health Organization and their partners have continued nationwide campaigns aimed at reaching every child, particularly in high-risk areas.

The campaign comes as Afghanistan continues to face a broader humanitarian crisis marked by poverty, malnutrition and pressure on the healthcare system.

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