Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Others Join Forces to Launch Cross-Border Campaign to Combat Spreading Variant Polio, Aiming for 83 Million Children

A polio vaccine campaign has been started by the ministers of five nations, including Nigeria, Niger, and others, to protect 83 million children.

A coordinated regional vaccination campaign targeting 83 million children under five has been initiated by the health ministers of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria in an attempt to eradicate the polio virus type 2 that is currently circulating in the Lake Chad Basin.

The campaign marks a significant turning point in the battle against mutant poliovirus type 2, which still threatens millions of youngsters in the area.

In a similar incident, the Adamawa State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have urged parents and guardians to make sure their children, ages 0 to 5, receive the polio vaccine during the next immunization campaign.

In an interview with reporters in Yola on Sunday, UNICEF and the Adamawa State Government stated that the exercise, which is set for April 26–29, is a nationwide practice meant to strengthen children’s immune systems against polio.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that: “Over the past 12 months, variant poliovirus type 2 has been detected both in the environment (wastewater samples) and among affected people in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria,” according to a statement made by Mr. Alaba Balogun, Head of Press Unit at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

According to the report, 140 of the 210 detections that have been reported in these four countries have led to paralysis.

“These findings highlight the continued risk of cross-border transmission and the urgent need for coordinated regional response, even if no cases have been recorded in the Central African Republic thus far.

“The strain circulating in Cameroon is linked to over 50% of the polio cases reported in Chad in 2024, underscoring the importance of coordination and synchronization of polio response efforts,” the statement stated.

In an effort to stop the virus’s spread, mass vaccination campaigns immunized about 12 million youngsters last year, according to the statement.

“A coordinated polio vaccination campaign will be conducted from April 24 to 28, 2025, focusing on high-risk and mobile populations in border areas where surveillance indicators have remained below target in an effort to further boost immunity and stop transmission.”

“This initiative is a component of a larger plan to guarantee the safety of every child, irrespective of their location or manner of movement.

An estimated 1.1 million frontline workers—including monitors, social mobilizers, and vaccinators—support the round and are committed to ensuring that every kid is protected.

In the battle against polio, the Lake Chad Basin continues to be crucial. By uniting as a region, we strengthen our resolve to eradicate polio permanently,” stated Hon. Dr. Abdelmadjid Abderahim, Chad’s Minister of Health.

The Health Ministers will meet behind closed doors as part of the launch to review epidemiological statistics, talk about obstacles, and improve cross-border collaboration.

The event demonstrates the region’s shared commitment to protecting every child by being in line with the Africa Regional Polio Eradication Action Plan and the Polio Eradication Cross-Border Coordination Plan 2024–2025, which were approved in August 2024 and revised in February 2025 to accommodate the changing epidemiological situation on the ground.

In reiterating their commitment to polio eradication, global health partners such as Rotary International, WHO, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, Gavi, and the Vaccine Alliance will join the endeavor.

Volunteers, municipal authorities, and community health workers will all be essential to the campaign’s success.

This event, with the topic “Immunization for all is Humanly Possible,” will take place during African Vaccination Week.

Oluseyi Olosunde, the UNICEF Bauchi field office’s health officer, stated that the federal government has instructed all states to launch a national polio eradication campaign.

“This is to ensure that every child receives the appropriate vaccine according to their age,” stated UNICEF’s Health Officer.

Although polio is currently eradicated in Adamawa State, Olosunde pointed out that preventative measures are still required to maintain this success.

According to him, the state government and the UNICEF Bauchi field office have been collaborating closely, offering help in areas like vaccine dosages, cold storage facilities, and technical support.

Dr. Suleiman Bashir, Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ADSPCDA), has called on all participants to help make the exercise a success.

He urged parents and guardians to have their kids vaccinated against polio by highlighting how safe and cost-free the vaccination is.

The four-day immunization exercise has been trained for by more than 1,070 facilities, 2,778 teams, and 74 more teams for mop-up, surveillance, and follow-up activities, Dr. Bashir noted. Recorders, community mobilizers, and vaccinators make up the teams.

Dr. Bashir stated that UNICEF and the Adamawa State Government are collaborating to make sure the immunization campaign is a success.

It is advised that parents and guardians seize this chance to shield their kids against polio.

“The state’s polio-free status depends on the polio vaccination campaign. Parents and guardians can protect their children’s physical and emotional health and stop the disease from spreading by immunizing them.

Dr. Bashir also gave parents additional assurances about the vaccine’s safety and efficacy in polio prevention. During the exercise, he advised families to take their kids to the closest medical facility or immunization station.

The government of Adamawa State and UNICEF’s partnership shows their dedication to enhancing the health and welfare of the state’s children.