With 2.3 million unvaccinated children, WHO and UNICEF rank Nigeria among the countries most affected by gaps in childhood immunisation | Photo credit: WHO/Ogbeide E
The federal capital territory administration (FCTA) says it will sanction parents, guardians and school owners who fail to comply with child immunisation directives.
Adedolapo Fasawe, mandate secretary of the FCT health services and environment secretariat (HSES), issued the warning in Abuja on Saturday during a press briefing.
Fasawenoted that the renewed enforcement drive is part of efforts to ensure full compliance with the Child Rights Act, 2003, which makes immunisation a legal obligation for every parent and institution.
“Sections 13 and 14 of the Act mandate parents, guardians and institutions to ensure that every child is fully immunised. Denying such access violates a child’s right to health and protection,” the mandate secretary said.
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She noted that immunisation in the FCT is free, safe and effective, adding that ignorance or misinformation will not be accepted as an excuse for non-compliance.
Fasawe also announced that Nyesom Wike, FCT minister, has approved free enrolment into the FCT health insurance scheme (FHIS) for every child fully vaccinated in public schools across the territory.
She said the FCTA has started identifying non-compliant schools and issuing reminder letters, with plans to deploy 132 vaccination teams for a three-day citywide mop-up exercise in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and other partners.
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“We will continue to educate our people and assure them of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines,” Fasawe added.
Fasawe said the campaign is being carried out in partnership with traditional and religious institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), and international agencies such as the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and IVACA, to ensure that no child is left behind.
As part of its sensitisation campaign, FCTA teams have embarked on advocacy visits to mosques and churches across the city, including Ansar-ud-Deen Society, Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Foundation, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) and Christ Holy Church International.
Religious leaders who hosted the teams, including Edwin Etomi of MFM and Anselm Ikebata of Christ Holy Church International, commended the administration’s proactive engagement and urged parents to vaccinate their children.
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