The Urgency Behind the Campaign
Over the past year, four of the five countries have recorded 210 detections of cVDPV2, with 140 cases resulting in paralysis. Though the CAR has yet to confirm any human cases, porous borders and mobile populations fuel the risk of cross‑border transmission. With 12 million children already reached in 2024 through mass immunizations, this latest drive seeks to capitalize on hard‑won momentum and drive case counts to zero.
“The Lake Chad Basin remains a critical area in our fight against polio. By coming together as a region, we reinforce our commitment to ending polio once and for all.”
— Dr. Abdelmadjid Abderahim, Minister of Health of Chad
A Coordinated Effort on the Ground
To cover vast, underserved communities—many of them transient or beyond reliable surveillance—the campaign will mobilize some 1.1 million frontline workers: vaccinators, social mobilizers, monitors and support staff. Special attention will focus on border crossings and nomadic routes, where gaps in routine immunization have allowed the virus to linger.
Local health authorities will deploy mobile teams by boat, vehicle and motorcycle, ensuring every settlement, however remote, is reached. Community leaders, religious figures and volunteer networks will spearhead door‑to‑door outreach, dispelling myths and encouraging caregivers to present their children for vaccination.
Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, vaccinating children during the launch of the programme @ N’Djadmena, Chad. Photo: FMoH
Global Partnership and Strategy
This synchronized drive is embedded within the broader Africa Regional Polio Eradication Action Plan and the Polio Eradication Cross‑Border Coordination Plan (2024–2025), both updated to reflect shifting epidemiological patterns. Core partners—WHO, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Rotary International—will supply vaccines, technical expertise and funding.
- Surveillance enhancement: Expanded environmental sampling and acute‑flaccid‑paralysis monitoring to detect any hidden transmission.
- Cold‑chain fortification: Reinforced vaccine storage and transport to maintain potency in regions with limited electricity.
- Cross‑border coordination: Joint task forces in border zones to synchronize reporting, resource sharing and rapid response teams.
Aligning with African Vaccination Week
The campaign dovetails with African Vaccination Week (April 24–30), themed “Immunisation for all is humanly possible,” underlining equitable access to life‑saving interventions. Mass media, SMS alerts and community events will amplify the message, reminding parents that polio carries no cure—that prevention through vaccination remains the only safeguard.
The Road Ahead
As vaccinators prepare to fan out across waterways, deserts and grasslands, the outcome of this five‑day sprint could define the region’s polio trajectory for years to come. By uniting ministries, global partners and grassroots volunteers, the Lake Chad Basin is betting on solidarity to drive cVDPV2 to extinction—and secure a polio‑free future for more than 83 million children.