FCTA to Vaccinate over 2.4m Children against Polio 

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said over 2.4 million children will be vaccinated against polio viruses in all the six Area Councils of the territory.

The Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Isah Vatsa, disclosed this Friday at a press briefing to announce the commencement of routine immunization with fractional inactivated polio vaccine (fipv)and novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2).

He revealed that out of the figure, 1,274,415 children will be vaccinated with (noPV2), while 1,210,588 will take (fiPV).

Vatsa said the phase1 of the immunization, which will start Saturday (today) through August 4, will cover Abaji, Kwali, Kuje, Gwagwalada and Bwari, while the second phase of the vaccination would be carried out in Abuja Municipal Area council, from August 5 to August 11.

He said the immunization campaign is a supplemental exercise aimed at interrupting the risk of transmission of all forms of the poliovirus and boosting the routine immunization coverage in the FCT.

He noted that the FCT Administration with its partners on immunization is committed to the campaign aimed at improving the health and well-being of the children and residents of the territory.

The Coordinator, World Health Organization (WHO) FCT, Dr Kumshida Balami, said the vaccination would help in the fight against poliovirus in the FCT.

She said the key priorities for the exercise also include the immediate implementation of the integrated fpv & RI intensification across the country.

She said significant progress has been made in the effort to address the evolving risk of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in  Nigeria, which FCT is not an exception, as an 89% decline in cVPV2 cases as of Week 15 of 2023.

According to her, the reasons for missed settlements and major risks associated with the transmission of cVPD2 include low immunity to type 2 poliovirus due to low IPV coverage, evolving insecurity, heightened insecurity, displacement of settlements, and hard-to-reach/rugged terrain,  restricting access to vaccination have created a pool of unreached children.