Polio vaccination along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border

9 May 2007

WHO/Chris Black

In April 2007, more than 40 million children were vaccinated over five days in synchronized vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The national governments ran these mass campaigns with support from WHO and other polio eradication partners.

Of the four countries with endemic poliovirus – the others are Nigeria and India – Afghanistan and Pakistan are closest to eradicating polio.

This photo story shows how the polio vaccination campaign was organized in remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan and along the porous border between the two countries. Movement of people between the two countries, carrying the virus with them, is seen as the main challenge to eradicating the disease there.

Read the photo story

Related links

• Health topic: Polio
• Polio Eradication Initiative