Nasarawa polio vaccination campaign aims to immunise over one million children under five in a four-day drive to curb virus spread

The Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, in collaboration with UNICEF, has announced plans to vaccinate more than one million children under the age of five during a four-day polio immunisation campaign scheduled to begin on March 28, 2026.

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The exercise, which will be conducted simultaneously across all 13 Local Government Areas of the state, forms part of intensified efforts to curb the spread of polio and boost public awareness on prevention.

The State Coordinator of the World Health Organization, Dr Bosede Ezekwe, disclosed the plan on Thursday during a one-day media dialogue held in Lafia.

The forum brought together journalists, health experts and key stakeholders to assess the current polio situation and outline strategies for the campaign.

Ezekwe described polio as a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects children under five, warning that it can lead to lifelong paralysis or death.

She noted that the upcoming campaign is a critical intervention following recent detections of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus in the state.

According to her, two cases were recorded in October and November 2025, indicating that the virus remains in circulation and requires urgent containment.

She explained that outbreaks are more likely in communities with low immunisation coverage, where unvaccinated children face the highest risk.

She further stated that polio spreads primarily through the faecal-oral route, often via contaminated food, water or poor hygiene, and can remain undetected in the body for weeks, increasing the chances of silent transmission.

Emphasising prevention, she said vaccination remains the most powerful and effective defence against the disease.

“Children require multiple doses of the vaccine to achieve full immunity. Every missed vaccination increases the risk of further spread,” she said.

The campaign will deploy trained health workers to conduct house-to-house visits and outreach in strategic locations to ensure broad coverage and access, particularly in underserved communities.

Also speaking, media consultant Dr Kalu Idika underscored the crucial role of journalists in combating misinformation, describing the media as a vital bridge between health authorities and the public.

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Stakeholders at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to the success of the Nasarawa polio vaccination campaign, stressing that widespread awareness and community participation will be key to achieving the ambitious target.