Health ministers from Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria have launched a coordinated polio vaccination campaign targeting 83 million children under five across the region.
The synchronized effort, officially launched on Thursday in N’Djamena, Chad, marks a major step in combating variant poliovirus type 2, which remains a threat across borders. Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, was seen administering vaccines during the launch.
According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) statement, the virus has been detected in environmental samples and among individuals in four of the five participating countries — Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria — with 210 confirmed cases in the last year, 140 of which resulted in paralysis. Although no cases have been reported in the Central African Republic, its involvement highlights the importance of preemptive, regional cooperation.
Chad alone has seen over half of its 2024 polio cases linked to viral strains originating in Cameroon, further emphasizing the need for joint action. Nearly 12 million children were immunized last year in similar campaigns.
The upcoming vaccination round is scheduled for April 24–28, 2025, focusing on high-risk, mobile populations, particularly along shared borders where surveillance has been inadequate.
The campaign involves more than 1.1 million frontline health workers, including vaccinators, social mobilisers, and monitors, working to ensure no child is left unprotected. It aligns with the Africa Regional Polio Eradication Action Plan and the Cross-Border Coordination Plan 2024–2025.
Chad’s Minister of Health, Dr. Abdelmadjid Abderahim, highlighted the strategic importance of the Lake Chad Basin in the broader fight against polio: “By coming together as a region, we reinforce our commitment to ending polio once and for all.”
Ministers will also hold a closed-door session to address challenges, share data, and improve cross-border collaboration.
The initiative is backed by global health partners including WHO, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gavi, and Rotary International. Local leaders, community health workers, and volunteers will play essential roles in the campaign, which coincides with African Vaccination Week under the theme “Immunisation for all is humanly possible.”
This united front signals renewed regional commitment to ensuring a polio-free future for all children.
