The Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), has targeted 1.5 million children for Polio Vaccination.
The exercise, which aims to curb the spread of polio, would commence on March 28, 2026, across the 13 local government Areas of the state.
This was announced at a one-day media engagement ahead of the March 2026 Polio Outbreak Response (OBR) Campaign in the state.
The event held on Thursday in Lafia brought together journalists, health experts, and key stakeholders to discuss the current polio situation, campaign strategies, and the critical role of the media in ensuring effective dissemination of accurate information to the public.
Speaking during the event, the Nasarawa State Coordinator of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Bosede Ezekwe explained that polio is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects children under the age of five and can result in lifelong paralysis or death.
She disclosed that outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) occur mostly in areas with low immunisation coverage, stating that unvaccinated children are mostly at the highest risk.
The state WHO Coordinator disclosed that two cases of the virus were recorded in October and November 2025, indicating that the virus is currently in circulation and requires urgent intervention.
Dr Ezekwe explained that polio spreads mainly through the faecal-oral route, often transmitted through contaminated food, water, or hands, particularly in communities with poor sanitation and hygiene practices.
She stated that the virus can remain in a human for weeks without showing visible symptoms, making it more dangerous and easier to spread unnoticed.
The state coordinator said that polio has no cure, saying immunisation remains the only effective protection against the disease.
Dr Bosede said that children require multiple doses of the vaccine to achieve full immunity, warning that every missed dose increases the risk of further spread.
She said that the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), administered as two drops into the mouth, is safe and has been used globally for decades, while the improved nOPV2 vaccine has been introduced to further reduce the risk of mutation.
In his remark, a Media Consultant, Dr Kalu Idika, stressed the importance of the media in health reportage, describing journalists as a critical link between health systems and the public.
He said that accurate and timely reporting plays a vital role in shaping public perception, promoting preventive health practices, and building trust in healthcare services.
The media consultant, therefore, urged media professionals to actively counter misinformation and misconceptions surrounding vaccines, stressing that the polio vaccine is safe and globally accepted
