The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has mobilized 1,152 immunization teams across all 62 wards in its six Area Councils to ensure children under five receive protection against the Polio virus.
In addition to door-to-door outreach and visits to churches, mosques, and designated community areas, 154 Fixed Post teams have been stationed at various health facilities to support the effort.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at the palace of the Sarkin Jiwa, Alhaji Idris Musa, Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe—represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babagana Adam—announced that the immunization campaign, part of the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs), will run from Sunday, May 4 to Saturday, May 10, 2025, across all Six Area Councils. Children receiving the vaccine will also be offered small gifts like candies and sachet milk.
She emphasized that vaccine-preventable diseases continue to contribute significantly to childhood illness and death in both Nigeria and the FCT.
Fasawe explained that, in response to repeated disease outbreaks, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and its partners initiated the NIPDs to improve routine immunization coverage across the territory.
“Although considerable achievements have been made through our different health programs to reduce disease burden through immunization, we still need to do more to ensure that all mothers, caregivers and eligible children are covered within this period,” she stated.
Highlighting the shift toward integrated healthcare campaigns, she urged stakeholders to act as NIPDs ambassadors by encouraging caregivers to access immunization services at nearby facilities and outreach centers. Children between 0–59 months will receive two drops of Oral Polio Vaccine at various locations including schools, churches, mosques, and other key community spaces.
World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr. Walter Mulombo, praised the FCT for its surveillance efforts and commended its role in preventing a diphtheria outbreak.
The Sarkin Jiwa, in turn, pledged traditional leaders’ full support for the initiative and urged local chiefs to rally their communities for its success.
What you should know
The FCTA is deploying over 1,150 teams for a week-long campaign to immunize children under five against polio, using both home visits and health facility-based services.
The initiative includes free oral vaccines and small incentives, with strong backing from WHO and local traditional leaders.
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