Nigeria, Four Other African Countries Unite to Vaccinate 83 Million Children Against Polio
In a major regional effort to eliminate variant poliovirus type 2, the Health Ministers of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and the Central African Republic have rolled out a synchronised vaccination campaign targeting more than 83 million children under five.
Set to run from April 24 to 28, the campaign aims to stop the continued spread of the virus across the Lake Chad Basin, where health officials say the risk of transmission remains high. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that, in the past year, 210 instances of the variant poliovirus were identified across four of the participating countries, with 140 of those cases resulting in paralysis.
“The Lake Chad Basin remains a critical area in our fight against polio,” said Chad’s Minister of Health, Dr. Abdelmadjid Abderahim. “By coming together as a region, we reinforce our commitment to ending polio once and for all.”
To support the campaign, over 1.1 million health workers—including vaccinators, social mobilisers, and monitors—will be deployed across high-risk and border areas. The initiative is backed by international health organisations including WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, Rotary International, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, under the Africa Regional Polio Eradication Action Plan.
Meanwhile, in Nigeria’s Adamawa State, authorities are intensifying local efforts to keep the region polio-free. A state-wide immunisation drive is scheduled for April 26 to 29, targeting all children under five.
“Parents and guardians are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to protect their children from polio,” said Dr. Suleiman Bashir, Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency.
“The polio immunisation exercise is crucial in maintaining the state’s polio-free status. By immunising children, parents and guardians can help prevent the spread of the disease and ensure their children’s physical and mental health.”
