Needle Free Polio Vaccinations Expand the Middle East

As the global effort to eradicate polio intensifies in 2026, needle-free technology is becoming increasingly popular in the Middle East and surrounding regions.

In a notable advancement for polio eradication in one of the world's last endemic countries, Afghanistan's polio program began using needle-free technology for the first time in late 2025.

During a multi-phase fractional inactivated polio vaccine (fIPV) campaign in Afghanistan's eastern region, the initiative targeted over 1.2 million children across 50 districts in four provinces.

The new intradermal jet injectors—also known as needle-free devices—were combined with the oral polio vaccine (OPV) to enhance immunity against wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1).

This innovative approach provided children with both a fractional IPV dose via jet injector and the oral vaccine, offering dual layers of protection against polio.

The PharmaJet Tropis® ID system, a WHO-prequalified needle-free injector, delivered tiny, precise streams of the fractional-dose IPV through the skin in a split second. This painless method eliminated the need for needles, reducing fear among children and caregivers while improving acceptance in remote and high-risk communities.

Speaking about the campaign to the Polio Eradication Initiative on January 1, 2026, polio vaccinator Mohammad Ibrahim expressed his excitement in a press release: "It is much easier than needle injections. I'm confident to go into the field and vaccinate children."

Vaccinator Zahir Islam noted that when communities learned the device was needle-free and painless, they became eager to participate. Community and religious leaders endorsed the method as safer and faster, helping to rebuild trust in vaccination efforts. This campaign not only provided essential protection but also strengthened community engagement in a region critical to global polio eradication.

As of late 2025, Afghanistan had reported around 9 WPV1 cases, confirmed in provinces like Uruzgan, Helmand, Badghis, Nuristan, Paktika, and Farah.

This new, large-scale introduction builds on the successful use of the Tropis system in countries like Egypt.

In November 2025, PharmaJet announced the incorporation of Tropis into immunization programs, supporting Egypt's "1000 Golden Days" initiative.

These polio eradication programs are essential, as a WHO Committee unanimously concluded in 2025, the risk of the international spread of poliovirus continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

In the long term, the manufacturing of Tropis and other needle-free product development initiatives may expand the benefits of vaccination against other infectious diseases and enhance pandemic preparedness.