A new polio vaccination campaign was launched across 16 provinces on Monday, aiming to immunise children under the age of five against the disease.
The Afghanistan Polio-Free Initiative urged families to cooperate with vaccinators to help eliminate the virus. The campaign is expected to cover children in 16 provinces, including Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Nangarhar and Balkh.
The previous vaccination drive was held in 17 provinces in late November.
The campaign comes as the Taliban have banned door-to-door polio vaccinations, requiring families to bring children to mosques and designated vaccination centres instead. International health organisations have said the restrictions have reduced the reach and effectiveness of immunisation efforts, particularly in hard-to-access communities.
Afghanistan recorded 25 cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in 2024, the highest number in four years, according to the World Health Organization. As of Sept. 17 this year, four cases have been reported in Afghanistan, while Pakistan has recorded 24 cases in 2025.
Despite repeated campaigns, efforts to eradicate polio continue to face obstacles, including years of conflict, security constraints, changing vaccination strategies and limited access in some regions.
Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio remains endemic.
