Key Points

• The immunisation compliance drive targets all schools in the FCT.

• The immunisation compliance drive hinges on Child Rights Act enforcement.

• The immunisation compliance drive links school admission to vaccination records.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has sent a strong message to schools in the area: the latest immunisation compliance drive will not put up with disobedience. Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, said at a briefing in Abuja that schools that don’t let vaccination teams in or don’t keep the right records will face administrative penalties under the Child Rights Act 2003.

Fasawe said that many schools have already blocked measles-rubella campaign teams and messed up public health operations. She called this “a violation of children’s rights” and “a threat to public health gains.”

What the immunisation compliance push means for schools

All schools in the FCT, both public and private, must check the vaccination status of students when they first enrol, re-enroll or transfer as part of the immunisation compliance drive. Institutions must also keep a Child Health Register, work with nearby primary health centres to hold on-site sessions, and send in compliance reports every month.

Schools that don’t let vaccination teams in are on a warning list. The FCTA has already sent letters to schools that aren’t following the rules, made a list of those schools, and is planning to take action, which could include shutting them down or taking away their licenses.

Why the enforcement is getting stronger now

The immunisation compliance drive shows that there is more urgency now that the FCT is starting a mop-up campaign with 132 vaccination teams to reach kids who missed their shots before.

Fasawe said that not letting kids get the vaccine not only puts each child at risk, but also weakens herd immunity and makes outbreaks of measles, rubella, and other diseases that can be avoided more likely. Schools are very important for getting to students who are old enough to go to school.

Problems that schools and parents might have

Some school administrators may find it hard to deal with logistical problems like working with health centres, keeping records up to date, or adding immunisation checks to the admissions process. Parents may also be unsure about how to give permission, how safe the vaccine is, or how to share information.

But FCTA says that ignoring this is not an option. Fasawe said, “Every child in the FCT has the right to health and protection from diseases that can be avoided.” This shows the legal basis for the drive under the Child Rights Act.

The FCTA is also linking the territory’s health insurance plan to the initiative and giving more than 600 vaccination teams branded gear so they can reach schools in all six Area Councils.

The immunisation compliance drive will only work if the FCTA’s education and health departments, school leaders, and local communities work together quickly. If these groups work together, the drive could fill in gaps in immunisation and improve vaccine coverage in schools in Nigeria’s capital region.