Measles vaccination in Afghanistan. (Archive) Afghanistan: thanks to the efforts of WHO and UNICEF, almost 9 million children were vaccinated against measles Healthcare
Afghanistan has completed the first phase of a national campaign to vaccinate children against measles, conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the National Expanded Immunization Programme. Some 8.9 million children aged 6 months to 10 years in 17 cold climate provinces were vaccinated.
Measles remains one of the most contagious diseases and a leading cause of death among children, which is easily preventable through vaccination. In Afghanistan, where access to routine immunizations is limited and many children suffer from malnutrition, the disease can cause severe complications such as pneumonia and blindness, as well as death.
“Measles is a deadly but preventable disease. In Afghanistan, where many children are particularly vulnerable, vaccination is a matter of survival,” said WHO Country Representative for Afghanistan Dr. Edwin Ceniza Salvador. Cold weather may allow the virus to survive as well as facilitate transmission in situations where large groups of people gather indoors.
In 2024, more than 9,300 cases of measles were reported in Afghanistan, and by August 2025, another 8,500 new cases were reported. The number of outbreaks increased from 127 in 2023 to 430 in 2024. Almost 92 percent of those affected are children under 10 years of age.
Complete measles eradication
Afghanistan is committed to the complete eradication of measles. Achieving this goal requires a massive vaccination effort to vaccinate the majority of the population and prevent new outbreaks both domestically and internationally.
“The successful completion of the first phase of the national campaign is an important step in protecting millions of children from disease, disability and death. We are deeply grateful to the health workers, volunteers and partners who made this possible even under the most difficult conditions,” said Edwin Ceniza Salvador. WHO will continue to support the Afghan health system, he stressed.
“Our task now is to close the gaps in immune protection and integrate this work into the regular immunization system,” said UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan Dr. Tajudin Oyewale.
The two-phase national measles vaccination campaign aims to vaccinate at least 95 percent of children aged 6 months to 10 years.
After completion of the first phase WHO, UNICEF and partners continue to work closely with national health authorities to prepare for the second phase of the campaign and leave no child unprotected.