Polio Pulse

Polio Pulse provides social listening insights to support GPEI’s polio interventions on disinformation, crisis communication, and strategic communication. Data is monitored from polio-endemic and outbreak countries and geographies classified by GPEI, covering 12 major languages spoken in these regions. The platform is managed by the UNICEF Digital Community Engagement (DCE) team.

High Risk

Intelligence-Operation Fears Revived Through Epstein Discourse

Geography
Pakistan
Afghanistan
Themes
Conspiracy theories

Analysis

Historical misuse of vaccination campaigns for intelligence purposes is being revived, increasing suspicion toward vaccinators.

Epstein discourse coincides with renewed circulation of content about the CIA’s misuse of a fake vaccination campaign in Abbottabad, recently brought back (Feb 1) by the history YouTube channel “All time popular” with an excerpt of a documentary where a former CIA agent tells the story of a fake door-to-door polio vaccination campaign  allegedly used for identifying Bin Landen.  Together, these narratives lower trust thresholds and increase operational risk, particularly in already sensitive regions. 

Recommendations

Pre-empt intelligence fears; reinforce routine immunization framing; strengthen safety monitoring.