Tanzania is often considered a stronghold of immunization success.

Vaccination coverage is consistently high. Trust in institutions remains strong. Community health workers are known, respected, and present in people’s daily lives. Campaigns are familiar, and acceptance is the norm.

And yet, when the country launched its latest polio campaign, something did not fully align.

By Emanuele Cidonelli, UNICEF Digital Community Engagement Specialist
Mwanza, Tanzania — March 2026