UNICEF Reports 12 Million Children Vaccinated Against Polio in Afghanistan in 2025

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced that approximately 12 million children in Afghanistan received polio vaccinations throughout 2025. According to the agency, the nationwide immunization drive achieved a 98 percent coverage rate across the country.

Alongside the polio initiative, UNICEF reported that more than 16 million people received measles vaccinations during the same year. The organization also confirmed that approximately 1.6 million doses of the Penta-3 vaccine were administered to children as part of the broader immunization schedule. These concurrent campaigns were designed to strengthen routine health services and address gaps in childhood immunization coverage.

The vaccination data was officially released by UNICEF Representative Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, who shared the figures in a statement on the social media platform X. Dr. Oyewale’s announcement outlined the scope of the 2025 campaigns and underscored the operational reach of the health initiatives across multiple provinces.

The reported figures highlight the scale of recent public health efforts in Afghanistan. UNICEF indicated that the successful rollout of these vaccines was part of a coordinated strategy to maintain high immunization coverage and reduce the incidence of preventable childhood illnesses. The agency continues to monitor coverage rates and coordinate with local health networks to sustain the momentum of the 2025 campaigns and ensure that future immunization targets are met.