When Papua New Guinea confirmed its first polio outbreak in seven years this May, the Digital Community Engagement team faced a daunting puzzle wrapped. How do you mobilize parents to vaccinate their children in a country where the most used social media platform has just been banned, over 100 languages are spoken, and many families hadn’t heard the word "polio" in a generation? The answer lays in adaptive strategy. The PNG campaign would become a masterclass in in how DCE combines constraints, creativity, and community understanding — adaptive strategy — achieving five times its reach targets despite being one of the most challenging digital environments in the world.
Digital spaces have become one of the most critical frontlines in the effort to eradicate polio. As misinformation spreads faster than ever, influencing decisions in communities worldwide, UNICEF’s Digital Community Engagement (DCE) approach ensures that the right information reaches the right people at the right time.
The governments of Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Niger, and Nigeria are leading the charge to end polio in the Lake Chad Basin. Writing about this powerful collaboration, UNICEF’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Gilles Fagninou, underscores how strong national leadership and close partnerships are vital in the effort to reach every child and deliver a polio free world.
In humanitarian emergencies, misinformation can spread faster than facts. In Gaza, where a polio outbreak has been unfolding amid devastating conflict, social media has become both a battleground and a lifeline. To monitor and respond to emerging narratives in real time, UNICEF and partners are leveraging Polio Pulse, a rumor-tracking system that collects, analyzes, and categorizes online discourse around polio and immunization.
In Afghanistan, the path to polio eradication is no longer siloed—it is integrated, people-centered, and rooted in the broader system of care. Through health camps and frontline outreach, vaccination is now delivered alongside essential services like nutrition, hygiene, and outpatient support. This shift toward Integrated Service Delivery (ISD) is transforming community trust—and helping close immunity gaps in the most underserved areas.
In May 2025, Niger mobilized more than 24,000 trained agents and community volunteers to reach 9.2 million people during a nationwide polio vaccination campaign. Nearly 3.9 million children received life-saving oral polio vaccines across urban centers and remote areas alike—including transhumant communities. But beyond the numbers, the campaign has brought to light personal stories of resilience, visibility, and transformation. One such story belongs to a woman in Niamey who survived polio and now fights to ensure no child has to go through what she experienced.
In May 2025, Niger launched a national polio vaccination campaign that reached nearly 3.9 million children under five. Behind this success are thousands of local champions like Mahamadou Nana, a primary school teacher in Niamey. Her story shows how trust, community relationships, and everyday leadership can break down hesitancy and bring vaccines closer to the people who need them most.
In Niamey’s Des Ebon neighborhood, Mr. Hamadou Harouna—a father of six and long-time volunteer—has become a trusted voice for vaccination. Through personal testimony and persistent community work, he helps shift perceptions and build confidence in polio immunization. His story reflects the crucial role of local leadership in Niger’s ongoing eradication efforts.
In May 2025, Niger launched a large-scale polio vaccination campaign that mobilized over 24,000 trained field agents and reached more than 9.2 million people across the country. By combining rigorous planning , community-driven outreach , and a multi-channel communication strategy , the campaign vaccinated nearly 3.9 million children , engaged vulnerable and mobile populations, and resolved 93% of recorded refusals. The approach sets a powerful precedent for future health emergencies and long-term system strengthening.
