Immunization

Polio

polio teaser
Pakistan
UNICEF/NYHQ2012-1306/ASAD ZAIDI

Eradication is within reach.

Thanks to the efforts of UNICEF and partners, polio has almost — but not quite — disappeared. In 2018, there were 32 cases reported in Pakistan and Afghanistan — down from 350,000 in 1988.

Children under 5 are particularly vulnerable to this highly infectious, crippling and sometimes fatal disease. And polio is known to resurface in countries in conflict, where health systems are disrupted, allowing routine immunizations to lapse. Continued support for vaccinations remains vital. 

Women are critical in the fight against polio. From reaching every child with polio vaccines to ensuring their children receive the protection they deserve, women are at the heart of polio eradication efforts.

Help Us End Polio

UNICEF is committed to vaccinating every single child against preventable childhood diseases.

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Fast Fact
99
%
fewer cases
The annual number of polio cases has been slashed 99% since 1988.
15
million
The campaign against polio has prevented 15 million childhood disabilities since 1988.
1.7
billion
UNICEF buys 1.7 billion doses of oral polio vaccine to reach 500 million children every year.
3
Polio remains endemic in just three countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.
$
19
A donation of $19 can protect 100 children under the age of 5 from polio.
3
million
Infant and childhood vaccinations save an estimated 3 million young lives every year.

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