Polio vaccination campaign launched nationwide — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has launched a nationwide polio vaccination campaign, targeting 12.8 million children under the age of five across Afghanistan. In a statement, the ministry said the campaign was being conducted in coordination with international partners from November 2 to 5, 2026. The campaign will run in the southern zone from November 3 to 6, while vaccination in Logar province is scheduled for November 9 to 13, according to the statement. In addition to polio vaccines, children in the southern, south-eastern, western and eastern zones will receive albendazole tablets to prevent intestinal worm infections. Speaking at the launch, Public Health Minister Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali said the ministry, in cooperation with international partners, was committed to preventing the spread of polio in the country. He called on religious scholars, tribal elders, parents and influential community members to support vaccination teams and help ensure the campaign’s successful implementation. The Afghanistan Polio-Free Initiative also announced that the nationwide vaccination campaign had begun.