FCTA To Vaccinate Over 2.4m Children Against Polio

By IGHO OYOYO, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disclosed that over 2.4 children will be vaccinated against polio virus in all the six area councils of the territory.

The executive secretary of FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Isah Vatsa, made this known in a press briefing to announce the commencement of routine immunisation with ‘fractional lnactivated polio vaccine (fipv)and novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2).

Vatsa who revealed that out of the figure, 1, 274,415 children will be vaccinated with (noPV2), while 1,210,588 will take (fiPV), also said the phase1 of the immunisation which will start from July 29 to August 4, covers  five area councils, 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.

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The executive secretary explained that several strategies had been deployed to ensure that every eligible child is reached during the exercise.

“The immunisation campaign we are starting in the FCT on July 29 to August 11 is a supplemental immunisation exercise aimed at interrupting the risk of transmission of all forms of the poliovirus and boosting the routine immunization coverage in the FCT.

“All the PHC facilities and government hospitals in the six area councils of the FCT will be used as vaccination post. This will help ease stress on the parents and care givers, there will be temporary vaccination posts situated in workshop centres, schools, markets, village squares and other designated centres identified by the communities,” he said.

The coordinator, World Health Organization (WHO) FCT, Dr Kumshida Balami, also said the vaccination would help in the fight against poliovirus in the city, which is one of the flagship points of the body.

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