The Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, has appealed to parents and school authorities to grant access to health workers conducting the ongoing nationwide integrated vaccination exercise for children.
Fasawe made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja during a news conference, noting that the exercise, which began on October 8, has been extended by one week to ensure wider coverage.
She expressed concern that several schools and institutions within the FCT had denied vaccination teams access to children, hindering the implementation of the immunisation campaign.
“The vaccination teams are going round the city to ensure that every eligible child is protected, yet some schools and parents have refused access,” she said.
The ongoing exercise covers measles-rubella vaccination for children aged nine months to 14 years and polio vaccination for children aged 0–59 months. It also includes the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine for nine-year-old girls, as well as routine immunisation for children aged 0–23 months and vaccines against neglected tropical diseases and malaria.
Fasawe condemned the refusal of some schools and parents to cooperate, warning that such actions deprive children of protection against deadly diseases and undermine public health efforts.
“This non-compliance is deeply concerning because it undermines public health gains and puts children at unnecessary risk,” she stated.
The Mandate Secretary reminded parents and schools of the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003, as domesticated in the FCT, which guarantees every child the right to health and protection from preventable diseases.
“Sections 13 and 14 of the Act place a legal obligation on parents, guardians, and institutions, including schools, to ensure that every child is fully immunised,” she explained.
“Denying a child access to vaccination is not merely an administrative lapse; it is a violation of a fundamental child right.”
To address the issue, Fasawe said the FCT Health Secretariat had begun compiling a list of schools that refused vaccination teams access. She added that the administration had launched targeted advocacy and community sensitisation campaigns, while also issuing letters to affected schools reminding them of their legal responsibilities under the CRA.
She announced that a three-day mop-up exercise involving 132 vaccination teams would be conducted to reach unvaccinated children across the affected areas.
“To strengthen enforcement and ensure sustainability, the FCTA has approved mandatory immunisation verification during admission, re-admission, or transfer of pupils and students,” she said.
Fasawe further directed that all schools within the FCT should maintain a child health register, collaborate with nearby Primary Health Care Centres for on-site immunisation, and promote awareness through school assemblies and PTA meetings.
“Failure to comply with these directives will attract administrative sanctions under existing FCT education and public health regulations,” she warned.
