The second round of Afghanistan’s nationwide polio vaccination campaign began today (Monday, May 26).

Over the course of this four-day program, more than 11.8 million children under the age of five are expected to be vaccinated.

Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, stated: “During this campaign, children between 24 and 59 months old will also receive Albendazole tablets. The aim of distributing these tablets is to prevent worm-related diseases in younger children.”

Polio is one of the most dangerous viral diseases of childhood, and the only way to prevent it is through regular vaccination. For this reason, vaccination teams visit different areas, urging families to cooperate.

Maryam, one of the vaccinators, said: “We are very happy when people cooperate with us by bringing their children for vaccination.”

Another vaccinator, Rahela, told TOLOnews: “Our request to the people is to bring their children for vaccination and support us.”

Citizens have welcomed the campaign and called for an increase in the number of vaccination rounds.

Yaqub Mohammadi, a resident of Kabul, said: “Our request is that vaccination campaigns always be held on time so that our children get vaccinated and protected from this disease.”

Meanwhile, doctors consider public awareness a key factor in the success of such campaigns.

Dr. Qais Nikzad stated: “Polio is an untreatable disease; however, fortunately, it is preventable through vaccines, which responsible organizations administer orally and by injection.”

Currently, Afghanistan is one of only two countries in the world where positive cases of polio are still being reported.
The US withdrawal from the World Health Organization has raised concerns about its potential impact on global efforts to eradicate polio.

The WHO's Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean has warned that by 2026, the polio eradication program's budget will face a 40% reduction — a challenge that could significantly hinder the fight against the disease.