Nigeria and five other countries in the Lake Chad Basin have started a joint polio vaccination campaign to protect 83 million children under the age of five from the deadly virus.
The campaign, which began on Sunday, April 20, includes Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Niger, and is targeting a variant of poliovirus type 2 that has been spreading across the region.
In the last one year, 210 cases of this virus have been found in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. Out of these, 140 cases led to paralysis, raising serious concern among health officials.
Even though CAR has not recorded any case, health experts say the virus can easily spread across borders, making a joint effort very important.
“Over 50% of polio cases reported in Chad in 2024 came from a virus strain circulating in Cameroon,” officials said, stressing the need for all countries in the region to work together.
A major vaccination push is planned from April 24 to 28. It will focus on high-risk areas, especially border communities where many people move from place to place and where tracking the virus has been difficult.
Nearly 12 million children were vaccinated last year, but health officials say more needs to be done. Around 1.1 million health workers, including vaccinators, community mobilisers, and monitors, will be involved in the new round of vaccinations.
“The Lake Chad Basin remains a critical area in our fight against polio. By coming together as a region, we reinforce our commitment to ending polio once and for all,” said the Chadian Minister of Health, Dr Abdelmadjid Abderahim.
The six health ministers will also meet behind closed doors to discuss challenges, share data, and plan stronger cross-border actions.
This campaign supports the Africa Regional Polio Eradication Action Plan and a special cross-border strategy updated earlier this year to meet the changing nature of the virus.
Global health groups such as WHO, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, Gavi, and Rotary International are supporting the campaign. Local leaders, community health workers, and volunteers will also play key roles in reaching every child.
The vaccination drive comes at the same time as African Vaccination Week, with the theme: Immunisation for all is humanly possible.
