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 33 cases reported in Pakistan and Afghanistan — down from 350,000 in 1988.

The final year of the 2013-2018 Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan saw Nigerian maintain its 'zero wild polio virus (WPV) status' for the second consecutive year, and Madagascar was certified WPV free. Afghanistan and Pakistan recorded 21 and 12 WPV cases, respectively, up from 14 and 8 cases in 2017. 

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.

donate now
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, Nigeria and Pakistan.
$
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.

More About Immunizations

Syrian refugee Shaheen holds his 1-year-old son Mohammad in Jordan's Azraq refugee camp. Mohammad was born in the camp's UNICEF-supported pediatric ward.
Born a Refugee, Mohammad Is Growing Up Healthy, Thanks to UNICEF
UNICEF and partners make sure that children in Jordan's Azraq Refugee Camp get the immunizations they need to stay strong.
In the DRC, a Mother Helps a Village Fight Polio
After a neighbor's child was paralyzed by polio, Rachel took her kids to be immunized — and convinced other parents to do the same.
In the Philippines, Shirly Mendez, 41, was afraid to vaccinate her youngest child until a UNICEF-supported public health campaign persuaded her of the importance of immunization.
Turning Doubters Into Defenders To Fight Measles in the Philippines
Information and immunization campaigns aim to reverse plummeting vaccine coverage rates.
Mothers and children wait to receive lifesaving vaccinations at the UNICEF-supported health center in Ambatta, a suburb of Ndjamena, the capital of Chad, in 2019.
With Help From UNICEF and Partners, Chad Eliminates MNT
Chad is the latest country to officially eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT). Only 13 countries remain at risk.
Americans Who Never Forget: Life Without Vaccines
Three lives touched by vaccine-preventable disease, one message: don't take immunization for granted.
Sitting on her mother's lap, 1-year-old Dana didn't cry while getting her first dose of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) at Children's Policlinic No. 1 in Obolon district, Kyiv, Ukraine in 2018.
Why Vaccines Matter in 2019
Misinformation and distrust are fueling vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine-preventable diseases are on the rise as a result.
See all »