In each of the six Area Councils if the territory, approximately 2.4 million kids will receive the polio vaccine, according to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
At a news conference on Friday, Dr. Isah Vatsa, the Executive Secretary of the FCT Primary Healthcare Board, announced the start of routine immunization with the fractional inactivated polio vaccine (fipv) and novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2).
Out of the total, 1,274,415 youngsters will receive the (noPV2) vaccine, while 1,210,588 will receive the (fiPV).
Vatsa stated that the first round of vaccinations, which begin today and run through August 4, will cover the communities of Abaji, Kwali, Kuje, Gwagwalada, and Bwari. The second round of vaccinations, which will take place in the Abuja Municipal Area Council from August 5 to August 11, will cover the remaining communities.
He said that the immunization campaign is an additional effort to increase the FCT’s routine immunization coverage while preventing the risk of transmission of all types of the poliovirus.
He stated that the program aimed at enhancing the health and wellbeing of the children and people of the territory is one that the FCT Administration and its partners on immunization are committed to.
The immunization will aid in the fight against the poliovirus in the FCT, according to Dr. Kumshida Balami, WHO’s FCT Coordinator.
The immediate implementation of the combined fpv & RI intensification across the nation, according to her, is also one of the exercise’s top priorities.
She claimed that thanks to an 89% decrease in cVPV2 infections as of Week 15 of 2023, tremendous progress has been made in addressing the evolving risk of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in Nigeria, with FCT being no exception.
She claims that displacement of settlements, low immunity to type 2 poliovirus due to low IPV coverage, evolving insecurity, heightened insecurity, missed settlements, difficult-to-reach/rugged terrain, and restrictions on access to vaccination have resulted in a population of unreached children.