Vaccinating zero-dose children among returning families in Nimroz
After years of displacement, families returning to Khashrood District in Nimroz Province are coming back with children who have never received any vaccinations.
Karim, a 38-year-old father of three, has returned to Afghanistan after 13 years in the Islamic Republic of Iran. During those years of moving from place to place, his children never visited a clinic. They had no vaccination cards and therefore had never been vaccinated against measles, polio, or other deadly diseases.
“During our displacement, we moved many times and had no access to clinics. My children never received vaccines and I was worried about their health,” Karim told the vaccinator at the Targreshk sub-Health Centre in Khashrood District.
The experience of Karim’s children is not unique. Across Nimroz, many returning children are considered “zero dose”, meaning they have missed all routine immunizations. This lack of immunization enables outbreaks to spread quickly and put entire communities at risk.
However, in December 2025, everything changed for Karim’s family.
Through WHO-supported primary health care outreach services, community mobilizers identified his children and referred him to the Targreshk sub-Health Centre. For the first time, his children were registered in Afghanistan’s national immunization system. They received age-appropriate vaccines and were given vaccination cards - a small piece of paper, but a powerful document that replaces fear and uncertainty with relief and protection.
Karim now knows where to go for care. His children are protected against life-threatening diseases and his family is connected with local health services.
“Reaching zero-dose children among returning families is critical to preventing outbreaks and protecting the most vulnerable,” said Dr Edwin Ceniza Salvador, WHO Representative and Head of Mission to Afghanistan. “With strong community engagement and sustained health support, we can ensure that no child is left behind.”
WHO extends its sincere appreciation to the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and other generous donors whose timely and generous funding makes this work possible.
For Karim, vaccines mean more than an injection. They mean a safe and healthy family.
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For more information, please contact:
Mariam Amiry
RCCE Officer, WHO Afghanistan - Kabul
Mob.: +93 784100496
E-mail: amirym@who.int
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