The Ministry of Health has announced the commencement of the National Polio Vaccination Days, starting November 30th across all provinces of Algeria. This initiative aims to bolster preventative healthcare and enhance collective immunity among children.
According to a statement released by the Ministry, the campaign targets 4,425,502 children aged between two and 59 months, considered the most vulnerable group. Vaccination will be administered through 274 public primary healthcare institutions, as part of a comprehensive program encompassing three rounds:
Round 1: November 30th to December 6th, 2025
Round 2: December 21st to December 27th, 2025
Round 3 (Injected VPI vaccine): January 25th to January 31st, 2026
The Ministry emphasized that all children within the targeted age group are eligible for all rounds, including those who have previously received routine vaccinations. The oral polio vaccine type 2 (OPV2) has been selected for its effectiveness against mutated strains of the virus.
The statement further highlighted that Algeria has maintained its certification as a polio-free country since 2016, despite the isolated detection of mutated virus cases. “The organization of this campaign follows the isolated recording of cases of the mutated polio virus associated with type 2 (VDPV2) in some provinces. This does not affect the certification that Algeria obtained as a country free of wild polio since 2016,” the statement clarified.
The Ministry of Health urges all parents to act responsibly and visit their nearest health center or mobile vaccination teams. The Ministry assures that the vaccine is safe and effective, and that each dose contributes to safeguarding children’s health.
