Health ministers launch landmark polio vaccination campaign to protect 83 million children in Lake Chad Basin

N’Djamena – In a renewed effort to eradicate circulating polio variant kind 2 in the Lake Chad Basin, Ministers of Health from Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Niger and Nigeria launched today a synchronized regional vaccination campaign geared toward protecting 83 million beneath 5 children. The initiative is a obligatory milestone in the battle against variant poliovirus kind 2, which continues to pose a threat to millions of children at some point of the express.

Over the previous 365 days, variant poliovirus kind 2 has been detected every in the ambiance (wastewater samples) and among affected other folks in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. A total of 210 detections gain been reported at some point of these four countries, 140 of which resulted in paralysis. Even supposing no conditions gain been reported in CAR to date, these findings underscore the ongoing chance of heinous-border transmission and the pressing need for coordinated regional action.

Over 50% of the polio conditions reported in Chad in 2024 are linked to the strain circulating in Cameroon, underlining the significance of coordination and synchronization of polio response efforts. 

With regards to 12 million children had been vaccinated remaining year by intention of mass immunization campaigns to discontinue the spread of the virus.

To further strengthen immunity and curb transmission, a synchronized polio vaccination campaign will diagram shut express from 24 to 28 April 2025, targeting excessive-chance and cell populations in border areas where surveillance indicators gain remained beneath target. This campaign is phase of a broader technique to be certain that each one children are protected, with out reference to dwelling or spin patterns.

The spherical is supported by an estimated 1.1 million frontline team (including vaccinators, social mobilizers, and monitors) dedicated to protecting every remaining child.

“The Lake Chad Basin remains a serious residence in our battle against polio. By coming together as a express, we reinforce our commitment to ending polio as soon as and for all,” acknowledged the Minister of Health of Chad, Hon. Dr Abdelmadjid Abderahim.

As phase of the launch, the Ministers of Health will benefit a closed-door meeting to discuss about challenges, overview epidemiological information, and strengthen heinous-border cooperation. The match aligns with the Africa Regional Polio Eradication Hasten Understanding and the Polio Eradication Flawed-Border Coordination Understanding 2024–2025, instantaneous in August 2024 and up to date in February 2025 to adapt to the evolving epidemiological dilemma on the bottom-underscoring the express’s united commitment to protecting every child.

Global health partners, including WHO, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Rotary International, will join the inconvenience, reaffirming their commitment to polio eradication. Community health team, native leaders, and volunteers will moreover play a obligatory role in ensuring the campaign’s success. This match will coincide with African Vaccination Week beneath the theme ‘Immunization for all is humanly that you just per chance can imagine.’

The polio eradication initiative in the Lake Chad Basin demonstrates the ability of collaboration in world health. By working together, governments, partners, and communities also can moreover be certain that a polio-free future for children in the express and beyond.