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A trending social media post accuses Bill Gates of using polio vaccination and other global health programs to “slow population growth” in Africa through sterilization. The post received over 2,000 engagements, including dozens of responses claiming that vaccines are deadly and meant to sterilize women throughout the continent.

WHO recently reported that over 100 children in Afghanistan and Pakistan were paralyzed by the wild poliovirus last year. One response asked why polio vaccines cause paralysis, while another argued they don’t work because polio still exists.

As Nigeria launched a national polio vaccination campaign, local news outlets reported that some parents are refusing polio drops for their children. Officials in Bauchi reportedly threatened to arrest parents who refuse the vaccines. While many commenters criticized the parents, others said the government should focus on other issues, such as hunger and security. Some posts also claimed that polio vaccines are haram (prohibited in Islam), bioweapons, deadly, and not effective.

Social media users in Indonesia are discussing a video about a mother refusing vaccines for her child. Some responses echoed the mother’s concerns about the safety of polio vaccines. A pediatrician responded to the video by calling on others to be compassionate and understanding of parents who are hesitant about vaccines. Although most commenters agreed with these strategies to encourage vaccination, others claimed, without evidence, that modern vaccines weaken children’s immune systems.

Pakistan launched a week-long national polio vaccine campaign on April 21, targeting 45 million children. Although most responses to the campaign were positive, some posts denounced vaccines as “poisonous” and a “gift to the enemies of Muslims.” Several posts also objected to the armed security with polio teams, claiming that polio drops are given at gunpoint. 

A popular social media account repeated the myth that an “untested” polio vaccine funded by Bill Gates left over 490,000 children in India paralyzed. Although the post is about the oral polio vaccine, it includes a video about a different conspiracy theory claiming that an HPV vaccine injured thousands of girls in India.

Some social media users responded negatively to an upcoming national polio campaign in Afghanistan. Posts claimed that polio vaccines are “forbidden,” cause other diseases, and are “poison to Muslims.” Several posts stated that polio vaccines are for “infidels.”