Rivers State Targets More Children in Second Round of Polio Vaccination Campaign.
Port Harcourt, June 21, 2025 – The Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board, in partnership with UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other key stakeholders, is set to launch the second round of the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) from June 28 to July 1, 2025.
The campaign aims to vaccinate over one million children under the age of five against the circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2), through an intensive house-to-house oral polio vaccination (OPV) drive across all 23 local government areas.
Community Engagement Takes Center Stage
At a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held in Port Harcourt, public health officials, traditional leaders, religious clerics, school administrators, and development partners renewed their commitment to ensuring the success of the immunization exercise.
Dr. Babo Diana, State Health Educator with the Primary Health Care Board, emphasized the importance of proactive community participation:
“Our goal is to achieve herd immunity. Even though Rivers State has reported no cases of cVPV2 this year, the threat remains real. Polio does not recognize borders, one unvaccinated child can expose many.”shw said.
Dr. Diana outlined the strategy, which includes:
Door-to-door vaccination with finger and house markings for tracking,
Engaging schools, faith-based institutions, traditional rulers, and the media for awareness, and
Prioritizing high-risk and hard-to-reach communities.
Pelemokumo Segu, UNICEF’s Social and Behavior Change Consultant in Rivers State, reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to advocacy and grassroots mobilization.
“We’re working closely with local authorities, educators, and religious leaders to dispel myths and promote confidence in the vaccine. This is a free, life-saving service every child deserves,” Mokumo said.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Aliyu Danliti, a respected Islamic cleric and member of the State Behavioral Change Committee (SBCC), addressed lingering vaccine hesitancy in some communities:
“The narrative is changing. Education and awareness have helped parents realize that polio vaccines are not only safe but essential for their children’s future.”
The campaign is also receiving strong backing from private education stakeholders. Sunday Adafi Jaja, Chairman of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, assured full participation from member schools:
“We’re using PTA meetings, school announcements, and direct outreach to ensure no child in our network misses out. Vaccination is not optional—it’s a duty.”
Although Rivers State has not recorded any cases of poliovirus in 2025, health officials remain on high alert. The novel oral poliovirus vaccine (nOPV2) being administered has been deemed safe and effective in preventing outbreaks.
The Rivers State Government is calling on:
Parents and caregivers to present their children for vaccination,
Community leaders to mobilize their neighborhoods, and
Media outlets to disseminate accurate, timely information.
“Polio eradication is within reach—but only through collective effort,” Dr. Diana reiterated.
The vaccination teams are expected to reach homes, marketplaces, worship centers, and schools during the four-day campaign window. Parents are advised to cooperate fully with health workers, who will be properly identified and equipped.