At least, 27 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory have reported 395 cases of Circulating Mutant Poliovirus Type 2.

The Mandate Secretary, Health and Human Services, Abubakar Tafida, disclosed that the exercise would be done between January 22 and 26, adding that the secretariat would deploy 1,639 health officials to ensure a hitch-free vaccination exercise.

He spoke at the first meeting of the FCT Taskforce on the Polio Eradication Initiative and Routine Immunisation.

These were contained in a statement on Thursday by the Special Assistant to the FCT Minister of State, Austine Elemue.

The statement titled, ‘Aliyu moves to strengthen immunization structure in FCT’.

It read, “The Health and Human secretariat is set to deploy 1,639 teams in 4 days starting from January 22 to vaccinate 1165981 children under the age of five in 2,837 communities across the territory. We, therefore, charged participants to identify numerous challenges facing the immunization landscape at the FCT area council and community levels with a view to finding solutions to those challenges. Recall that in 2015, Mr President personally signed the reviewed Abuja Commitments document on behalf of the Federation while the Chairman, Governors’ Forum signed on behalf of the 36 States Governors and the Minister of FCT to ensure a Polio free Nation with clear responsibilities for each tier of government.”

On her part, the FCT Minister of State, Ramatu Aliyu, assured the people that the Administration would do everything possible to strengthen the entire routine immunisation structure and primary health care landscape in the FCT.

Aliyu who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant on Administration, Muhammad Usman, called on chairmen of the six area councils to strengthen commitments to the polio eradication and routine immunization activities in their various councils.

She also noted that the efforts of the Taskforce has contributed significantly to the success of polio campaigns in the territory with no wild Polio Virus confirmed in FCT for over 7 years, calling for regular meetings of the Taskforce

The Minister in a statement released by her Special Assistant on Media Austine Elemue, also affirmed that palliative items meant for flood victims were safe and secured.

Aliyu who disclosed that security agents were being deployed to prevent any attack in the city, cautioned unsuspecting members of the public against being lured into criminality under the guise of chasing ‘hoarded’ palliative food items.

She further revealed that the FCT Administration had in the past few months distributed all items procured and also distributed donated items to the Area Councils, Community Associations, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Professional bodies/associations, stressing the administration has continued to receive donations that are distributed on a continuous basis, very transparently.