Afghanistan is set to launch a new nationwide polio vaccination campaign on Monday, November 2, as health authorities continue efforts to eradicate the disease, following the vaccination of 12.7 million children across the country.

Afghanistan’s Polio-Free Initiative announced that the campaign will begin nationwide on Monday, while vaccination activities in the southern zone will start a day later, on Tuesday, November 3.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that 12.7 million children in Afghanistan have been vaccinated against polio through ongoing immunization campaigns.

The UN agency noted that despite progress in vaccination coverage, efforts to completely eliminate polio in Afghanistan are continuing.

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects children under the age of five and can cause permanent paralysis.

Health organizations have urged families to cooperate with vaccination teams and ensure that all eligible children receive the required vaccine doses to protect them against the disease.

Afghanistan Free Polio has urged parents and caregivers to vaccinate their children against polio, warning of the continued need for vaccination efforts as the country marks World Polio Day on October 24.

In a message issued on Saturday, the organization called on families to ensure their children receive polio vaccines, stressing that every child has the right to grow up free from the disease.

The organization also emphasized the role of families and communities in preventing the spread of the virus and achieving a polio-free Afghanistan.

According to a previous report by the World Health Organization (WHO), six new polio cases had been recorded in Afghanistan, bringing the total number of cases reported since the beginning of 2026 to 42.

Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only countries where polio has not been eradicated.

World Polio Day is observed annually on October 24 to raise awareness and strengthen global efforts to eliminate the disease.

Health authorities and public health organizations continue to stress that vaccination and community participation are essential to protecting children and preventing further transmission of the virus.

Uzbekistan’s Agency for the Development of the Medical and Pharmaceutical Industry has held talks with UNICEF representatives and local pharmaceutical companies on expanding cooperation and opportunities to supply medicines to Afghanistan.

The meeting was attended by Agency Director Abdulla Azizov, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan Tajudeen Oyewale, and UNICEF Deputy Representative in Uzbekistan Geoffrey Ijumba.

According to Uzbekistan’s National News Agency, discussions focused on expanding access to international procurement platforms for Uzbek-made medicines, ensuring compliance with international quality standards, and improving transparency in pharmaceutical procurement and tender procedures.

The participants also explored mechanisms for bilateral agreements and potential medicine supplies to Afghanistan.

During the visit, the delegation toured BioPharma City, a pharmaceutical cluster under construction in the Tashkent region, and the Pharmaceutical Technical University. They were briefed on projects aimed at expanding domestic pharmaceutical production and training qualified specialists.