FCTA Targets 1,116,677 Children in 2025 Polio Immunization Campaign, Vows to Sustain Polio-Free Status
Ambitious Vaccination Drive Aims to Protect Over a Million Children
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced plans to immunize 1,116,677 children during its 2025 polio vaccination campaign. This initiative underscores Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining its hard-won polio-free status, achieved after decades of eradication efforts.
Sustaining Nigeria’s Polio-Free Achievement
Health officials emphasized that this large-scale immunization campaign is critical to preventing any resurgence of the poliovirus in Nigeria. The country was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020 after three years without any reported cases of wild poliovirus.
“We cannot afford to be complacent,” stated a senior FCTA health official. “This vaccination campaign will ensure we protect every vulnerable child and maintain our polio-free status for generations to come.”
Comprehensive Vaccination Strategy
The immunization program will employ:
- House-to-house vaccination teams
- Fixed vaccination posts at health centers
- Mobile vaccination units for remote areas
- Special outreach programs for nomadic populations
Health workers will administer the oral polio vaccine (OPV) to children under five years old, the most vulnerable age group for polio infection.
Challenges and Community Engagement
Officials acknowledged potential challenges including vaccine hesitancy and logistical difficulties in reaching remote communities. To address these, the FCTA plans extensive community engagement programs working with traditional and religious leaders to build trust in vaccination efforts.
“We’ve learned from past campaigns that community ownership is key to success,” noted a public health specialist involved in the planning. “When local leaders champion vaccination, compliance rates improve dramatically.”
Building on Nigeria’s Public Health Success
This campaign represents another step in Nigeria’s remarkable public health turnaround regarding polio. From being one of the last polio-endemic countries, Nigeria has become a success story in disease eradication through sustained vaccination efforts and improved disease surveillance.
The FCTA has allocated significant resources to the 2025 campaign, recognizing that maintaining polio-free status requires continuous vigilance and investment in child immunization programs.
For more details on Nigeria’s polio eradication efforts, read the original article.