Polio Eradication Strategy
The Polio Eradication Initiative in Afghanistan is dedicated to achieving a polio-free Afghanistan by interrupting poliovirus transmission and ensuring that every eligible child is protected through vaccination. Guided by evidence, innovation, and strong partnerships, the programme strengthens surveillance, community engagement, and programme quality to achieve this goal.
The programme delivers high-quality vaccination campaigns using nationally approved vaccination modalities to protect all eligible children under five years of age. Alongside vaccination, it maintains a highly sensitive surveillance system to detect poliovirus, monitor virus circulation, and guide timely response activities. Communication and community engagement help build trust, promote vaccine acceptance, and encourage caregivers to vaccinate their children.
The programme is guided by the National Emergency Action Plan (NEAP), which sets out the strategic priorities and key interventions required to interrupt poliovirus transmission. Updated annually, the NEAP provides the framework for strengthening vaccination, surveillance, community engagement, and programme quality.
National Emergency Action Plan 2025
The programme also contributes to the objectives of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) Polio Eradication Strategy 2022 - 2026: Delivering on a Promise (Extension to 2029), which provides the global framework for interrupting wild poliovirus transmission, responding to variant poliovirus outbreaks, strengthening surveillance and immunization systems, and sustaining a polio-free world.