FIC REPORT (NASARAWA STATE) – The Nasarawa State Government has called for intensified public awareness and community mobilization ahead of a polio vaccination campaign following reports of suspected cases of the disease in the state.
The Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Iskilu Saleh, made the call during a mass media mobilization dialogue on polio vaccination held at the agency’s headquarters in Lafia, the state Capital.
Saleh, who was represented by the Director of Immunization, Isma’ila Okoh, urged journalists to intensify public enlightenment ahead of the forthcoming Sub-National Immunization Days (SNIDs) in Keffi and Nasarawa local government areas.
He stressed the media’s role in educating communities on the importance of immunization and protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases.
According to him, health workers and development partners are making efforts to prevent the spread of polio, adding that a previously investigated case in Keffi was confirmed not to have originated from the area.
He said no other case had been reported in the state apart from the case under discussion, while commending health workers for their efforts.
Saleh urged journalists to use their platforms to encourage parents and caregivers to ensure that eligible children receive polio vaccines, stressing that immunization should not be limited to supplementary campaigns.
He said the forthcoming exercise would target children aged zero to 59 months.
“ If a child is within that age range, then the child has to take the vaccine. Like I said, it is just supplementary,” he said.
The executive secretary called for closer collaboration between the media and health authorities to mobilise communities and ensure that all eligible children were vaccinated.
Also speaking, the Nasarawa State Health Educator, Ishaya Amegwa, said vaccination teams would visit homes, health facilities, churches, streets, motor parks and other public places during the campaign.
He explained that children found without the required routine immunisation would be referred to health facilities to receive the necessary vaccines.
Amegwa appreciated development partners, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), for their support.
On his part, UNICEF consultant Samuel Sesay called for sustained polio vaccination and improved hygiene practices to support efforts to eradicate the disease globally.
Sesay explained that polio spreads mainly through the faecal-oral route, including through contaminated food, water and hands, making proper hygiene and sanitation important in preventing transmission.
He said the availability of effective vaccines and the decline in reported cases over the years showed that polio eradication was achievable.
However, he attributed the continued circulation of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) to gaps in immunization coverage, particularly in communities where some children had not received vaccines.
Sesay said ensuring that every eligible child received the vaccine during each round of immunization would help close immunity gaps and prevent further transmission.
He urged journalists to address parents’ concerns about vaccine safety and the repeated administration of polio drops, noting that the vaccine was safe and that mild reactions, such as fever, could occur after vaccination.
According to him, repeated doses are necessary to strengthen children’s immunity and provide greater protection against the disease.
The UNICEF consultant also urged health workers to maintain accurate records and verify the vaccination status of children during campaigns. He stressed the need for continuous training of vaccination teams to ensure the safe and effective administration of vaccines.
The forthcoming polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to hold from November 7 to 10, 2026.
ARI, LIMAN AMINU.
HEAD OF CENTRE,
FIC, LAFIA.
