Sudan Polio Vaccination Campaign
Sudan's Federal Ministry of Health, with WHO and UNICEF support, is running a nationwide nOPV2 campaign reported to target around 11 million children in October and November 2026. The first phase, 26–29 October, targeted 6 million children in 107 localities across 12 states; a second phase in the first week of November targets a further 5 million in 79 localities across the five Darfur states and West Kordofan — together matching the national target. Variant poliovirus has circulated since December 2024; in 2026, six children and three wastewater samples were confirmed positive, per the WHO/UNICEF release of 28 October 2026. The conflict that began in 2023 has disrupted the health system and limited routine immunization.
Metrics
around 11 million children — National vaccination target
Caveat: Per the WHO/UNICEF release of 2026-10-28 via reliefweb.int; covers the October-November 2026 nOPV2 campaign and does not include later adjustments or children outside the planned two phases.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; sudanindependent.com — Sudan Launches National Polio Vaccination Campaign for 11 Million Children
6 million children in 107 localities across 12 states — First phase target
Caveat: Per the WHO/UNICEF release of 2026-10-28 via reliefweb.int and Sudan Independent (2026-10-27); covers only the 2026-10-26 to 2026-10-29 first phase and does not cover the second phase.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; sudanindependent.com — Sudan Launches National Polio Vaccination Campaign for 11 Million Children
5 million children in 79 localities across the five Darfur states and West Kordofan — Second phase target
Caveat: Per the WHO/UNICEF release of 2026-10-28 via reliefweb.int; covers only the first week of November 2026 second phase and does not cover the first phase.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan
more than 4.3 million children under five in seven states — Earlier 2026 campaign target
Caveat: Per WHO EMRO and UN Sudan; covers the campaign launched on 2026-04-27 and does not cover the October-November 2026 campaign.
Sources: emro.who.int — WHO EMRO page on Federal Ministry of Health-led polio round for over 4.3 million children; sudan.un.org — UN Sudan page on nationwide polio vaccination of over 4.3 million children
six children and three wastewater samples — Confirmed poliovirus detections in 2026
Caveat: Per the WHO/UNICEF release of 2026-10-28; does not cover detections after that date or unreported cases.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; emro.who.int — WHO EMRO page on Federal Ministry of Health-led polio round for over 4.3 million children
12 states — First phase state coverage
Caveat: Per the WHO/UNICEF release of 2026-10-28 via reliefweb.int and Sudan Independent (2026-10-27); covers the first phase only and does not cover the five Darfur states and West Kordofan in the second phase.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; sudanindependent.com — Sudan Launches National Polio Vaccination Campaign for 11 Million Children
Sudan's Second Polio Campaign of 2026
A two-phase nationwide campaign
Sudan's Federal Ministry of Health, with support from WHO, UNICEF and partners, is implementing a nationwide polio vaccination campaign using novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2). It aims to reach around 11 million children in October and November 2026, according to the WHO/UNICEF release of 2026-10-28.
The first phase, scheduled from 2026-10-26 to 2026-10-29, targets 6 million children in 107 localities across 12 states. It launched on Monday 2026-10-26 and targets children from birth to five years old. The first-phase states are Khartoum, Gezira, Sennar, White Nile, North Kordofan, South Kordofan, Kassala, Gedaref, Red Sea, River Nile, Northern State and Blue Nile.
A second phase in the first week of November 2026 targets a further 5 million children in 79 localities across the five Darfur states and West Kordofan. According to the WHO, the vaccination programme will be implemented in two phases covering all 18 states, as reported on 2026-10-27.
An earlier polio campaign launched on 2026-04-27 targeted more than 4.3 million children under five in seven states: Gedaref, Gezira, Kassala, Khartoum, North Kordofan, Sennar and White Nile. The October 2026 campaign is the second polio vaccination campaign in Sudan this year.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; emro.who.int — WHO EMRO page on Federal Ministry of Health-led polio round for over 4.3 million children; sudan.un.org — UN Sudan page on nationwide polio vaccination of over 4.3 million children; sudanindependent.com — Sudan Launches National Polio Vaccination Campaign for 11 Million Children
Variant poliovirus since December 2024
The campaign aims to interrupt transmission of variant poliovirus, which began circulating in Sudan in December 2024.
In 2026, Sudan has confirmed poliovirus in six children and in three wastewater samples, per the WHO/UNICEF release of 2026-10-28.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; emro.who.int — WHO EMRO page on Federal Ministry of Health-led polio round for over 4.3 million children
Conflict and interrupted access to routine immunization
The conflict in Sudan, which began in 2023, has disrupted the health system and limited children's access to health services, including routine immunization.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; link.springer.com — Conflict and Health article: Between bullets and outbreaks — epidemic control in Sudan's forgotten war; doi.org — Research Paper: Sustaining Immunization in Sudan During Conflict, June 2023–December 2024; thelancet.com — Lancet Correspondence: Polio in Sudan and Conflict Zones Needs Urgent Support
What remains unverified in the field
In Blue Nile state, the campaign was reportedly launched in Damazin on 2026-10-28 by the health ministry's director general. Local implementation there was reported to continue until 2026-10-30.
Sources: suna.sd — Blue Nile launches national polio response campaign
Claims and evidence
Sudan launched a nationwide polio vaccination campaign using nOPV2 to reach around 11 million children in October and November 2026.
Claimant: Federal Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF and partners, per the WHO/UNICEF release of 2026-10-28
Evidence status: confirmed
Counterclaim: No documented counterclaim in the sources reviewed.
Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; sudanindependent.com — Sudan Launches National Polio Vaccination Campaign for 11 Million Children
The first phase, from 2026-10-26 to 2026-10-29, targets 6 million children in 107 localities across 12 states.
Claimant: WHO/UNICEF release and campaign reports
Evidence status: confirmed
Counterclaim: No documented counterclaim in the sources reviewed.
Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; sudanindependent.com — Sudan Launches National Polio Vaccination Campaign for 11 Million Children
A second phase in the first week of November 2026 targets a further 5 million children in 79 localities across the five Darfur states and West Kordofan.
Claimant: WHO/UNICEF release
Evidence status: confirmed
Counterclaim: No documented counterclaim in the sources reviewed.
Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan
In 2026, Sudan has confirmed poliovirus in six children and in three wastewater samples.
Claimant: WHO/UNICEF release of 2026-10-28
Evidence status: confirmed
Counterclaim: No documented counterclaim in the sources reviewed.
Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; emro.who.int — WHO EMRO page on Federal Ministry of Health-led polio round for over 4.3 million children
The conflict in Sudan, which began in 2023, has disrupted the health system and limited children's access to health services, including routine immunization.
Claimant: Humanitarian and research sources reviewed
Evidence status: confirmed
Counterclaim: No documented counterclaim in the sources reviewed.
Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.
Sources: link.springer.com — Conflict and Health article: Between bullets and outbreaks — epidemic control in Sudan's forgotten war; doi.org — Research Paper: Sustaining Immunization in Sudan During Conflict, June 2023–December 2024
According to SUNA, in Blue Nile state the campaign was launched in Damazin on 2026-10-28 by the health ministry's director general, and local implementation was reported to continue until 2026-10-30.
Claimant: SUNA
Evidence status: likely
Counterclaim: No documented counterclaim in the sources reviewed.
Independent assessment: No independent assessment documented in the sources reviewed.
Sources: suna.sd — Blue Nile launches national polio response campaign
Timeline
— Sudan launches April polio vaccination campaign targeting 4.3 million children
Sudan's Federal Ministry of Health and partners launched a polio vaccination campaign on 27 April 2026 targeting more than 4.3 million children under five in seven states: Gedaref, Gezira, Kassala, Khartoum, North Kordofan, Sennar and White Nile, according to WHO EMRO and UN Sudan.
Sources: emro.who.int — WHO EMRO page on Federal Ministry of Health-led polio round for over 4.3 million children; sudan.un.org — UN Sudan page on nationwide polio vaccination of over 4.3 million children
— First phase of nationwide polio vaccination campaign begins
The first phase of Sudan's nationwide polio vaccination campaign began on 26 October 2026, targeting 6 million children in 107 localities across 12 states, according to ReliefWeb and Sudan Independent.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; sudanindependent.com — Sudan Launches National Polio Vaccination Campaign for 11 Million Children
— Blue Nile state launches polio vaccination campaign in Damazin
The health ministry's director general launched the polio vaccination campaign in Damazin, Blue Nile state, on 28 October 2026, with local implementation reported to continue until 30 October, according to SUNA.
Sources: suna.sd — Blue Nile launches national polio response campaign
— Scheduled end of first phase
The first phase was scheduled to run from 26 to 29 October 2026, targeting 6 million children in 107 localities across 12 states, per the WHO/UNICEF release of 28 October 2026 and Sudan Independent.
Sources: reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; sudanindependent.com — Sudan Launches National Polio Vaccination Campaign for 11 Million Children
Open questions
- Why does the national first phase end on 29 October while Blue Nile state implementation was reported to continue until 30 October?
- How many variant poliovirus cases or positive samples were recorded between December 2024 and the end of 2025?
- The earlier April 2026 campaign targeted more than 4.3 million children in seven states; how many of those children are included again in the October campaign?
- Was every locality in all 18 states actually reached?
Source registry
- reliefweb.int — WHO statement on nationwide polio vaccination of 11 million children in Sudan; humanitarian; 2026-10-29
- emro.who.int — WHO EMRO page on Federal Ministry of Health-led polio round for over 4.3 million children; official_position; date not supplied
- sudan.un.org — UN Sudan page on nationwide polio vaccination of over 4.3 million children; official_position; date not supplied
- link.springer.com — Conflict and Health article: Between bullets and outbreaks — epidemic control in Sudan's forgotten war; research; date not supplied
- thelancet.com — Lancet Correspondence: Polio in Sudan and Conflict Zones Needs Urgent Support; research; date not supplied
- doi.org — Research Paper: Sustaining Immunization in Sudan During Conflict, June 2023–December 2024; research; date not supplied
- viory.video — Knocking Out Polio: Door-to-Door Vaccination Across 12 States; media_archive; date not supplied
- sudanindependent.com — Sudan Launches National Polio Vaccination Campaign for 11 Million Children; news; date not supplied
- suna.sd — Blue Nile launches national polio response campaign; primary_document; date not supplied
- totelnews.com — First-day polio vaccination count across 12 states; news; date not supplied
- spokesperson-sd.com — Federal health ministry announces April polio campaign in seven states; official_position; date not supplied
- suna.sd — Gedaref completes arrangements for October polio round; primary_document; date not supplied