FCTA PARTNERS RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO BOOST CHILD IMMUNISATION IN ABUJA

Read Time:1 Minute, 57 Second

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has intensified efforts to improve child immunisation coverage across Abuja by engaging religious and community leaders to drive public awareness and compliance.

Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, said during a sensitisation campaign that vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to protect children from deadly but preventable diseases.

She emphasised that immunisation in the FCT is free, safe, and compulsory, warning that ignorance or misinformation would no longer be an excuse for vaccine refusal.

“Every child in the FCT deserves full protection through immunisation. Parents and guardians who deny their children this right are violating the Child Rights Act,” Fasawe stated.

To strengthen community acceptance, the FCTA has reached out to prominent faith leaders across Abuja’s six area councils. Visits have been made to mosques such as the Ansar-ud-Deen Society and Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Foundation, as well as churches including the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), and Christ Holy Church International.

At MFM’s Wuye headquarters, Senior Pastor Edwin Etomi commended the administration’s proactive approach and encouraged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated. Similarly, Pastor Anselm Ikebata of Christ Holy Church urged his congregation to fully support the immunisation exercise.

Fasawe announced that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has approved free enrolment into the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) for children in public schools who complete all recommended vaccines.

She also warned that some private schools and institutions had been denying health officials access to pupils, describing it as “a clear violation of children’s rights to health.”

“Any school or organisation that obstructs immunisation will face sanctions under the territory’s education and public-health regulations,” she cautioned.

According to her, 132 “mop-up” teams have been deployed across the FCT to reach children who may have missed routine vaccination during earlier rounds.

The FCTA’s renewed campaign aims to ensure that no eligible child in Abuja is left unvaccinated against diseases such as measles, rubella, and polio.

Fasawe urged parents, caregivers, and community leaders to support the initiative and help safeguard the health of future generations.

“This is more than a campaign — it’s about protecting our children and securing our collective future,” she said.