Health ministers from the Lake Chad Basin have launched a coordinated vaccination drive targeting over 83 million children under the age of five, as countries in the region step up efforts to halt the spread of variant poliovirus type 2.
The week-long campaign, set to run from April 24 to 28, brings together Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria in a synchronized response focused on high-risk and mobile populations in border areas where disease surveillance remains weak.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that variant poliovirus type 2 continues to circulate in the region, with 210 detections over the past year—140 of which have caused paralysis. Samples have tested positive both in humans and in the environment, including wastewater.
Speaking at the campaign launch, Chad’s Minister of Health, Abdelmadjid Abderahim, emphasized the importance of regional unity. “The Lake Chad Basin remains a critical front in the fight against polio. Our coordinated action reflects our determination to end this disease,” he said.
To support the vaccination effort, WHO announced that around 1.1 million frontline workers—including health workers, social mobilizers, and campaign monitors—have been deployed across the four countries to reach every child, particularly in underserved and hard-to-access communities.
Although no cases have been reported in the Central African Republic, WHO flagged a strong risk of cross-border transmission, calling for continued vigilance and region-wide coordination.
In Chad alone, over half of the confirmed cases in 2024 have been genetically traced back to strains circulating in neighboring Cameroon, underlining the need for collective action and synchronized response across national boundaries.
Home to over 30 million people, the Lake Chad Basin is a complex region affected by displacement, insecurity, and limited healthcare access—factors that have made immunization campaigns particularly challenging. Health experts say collaboration across borders is vital to stop the virus in its tracks.
This latest campaign forms part of Africa’s broader polio eradication strategy, with leaders expressing confidence that, through united action, the region can close the chapter on polio for good.