The Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Board (FPHCB) has announced that all preparations are complete to vaccinate more than 1.5 million children during the 2026 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW). The exercise is scheduled to take place from June 3 to June 7.
Details of the programme
Adedolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, disclosed this during a media orientation ahead of the event. Represented by Okoli Nicholas, acting director of Primary Health Care at FPHCB, Fasawe described the MNCHW as a biannual high-impact initiative aimed at delivering essential healthcare services to families.
She explained that the exercise would intensify routine immunisation services, provide Vitamin A supplementation for children aged six to 59 months, and strengthen child survival interventions. Children aged 12 to 59 months will receive deworming medication, while health workers will screen for malnutrition and offer feeding and hygiene counselling.
Services for pregnant women
Fasawe added that pregnant women would receive antenatal and postnatal care services to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes across FCT communities. The focus will include iron-folate supplementation, malaria prevention in pregnancy where indicated, breastfeeding and newborn care counselling, and family planning information and services.
She emphasised the critical role of the media in ensuring families receive accurate information about the programme and understand where and when services are available. “The media’s role in this effort is pivotal. You help families know when and where to go. You build trust by sharing clear, verified information. You counter rumours with facts, and you shine a light on the dedication of our frontline health workers while holding us accountable,” she said.
Free services and outreach
All services offered during the exercise will be provided free of charge to beneficiaries across the FCT and surrounding communities. The programme will be implemented in all Primary Health Care Centres across the six area councils, designated outreach points, and hard-to-reach settlements through mobile teams.
“Parents should bring their child’s health card; if they don’t have one, it will be provided on site. Zero-dose and defaulting children are welcome; no child will be turned away,” Fasawe stated.
She appealed to media practitioners to help disseminate campaign messages through community radio stations, newspapers, social media platforms, and programmes targeting underserved populations. “Our appeal to you is to take these messages beyond city centres, into community radio, into neighbourhood papers, and social media groups. And through programmes that reach informal settlements, rural communities and nomadic populations,” she said.
Additional remarks
Chinyere Ekwueme, state nutrition officer for the FCT, said mobile medical teams would also visit schools, churches, and mosques to ensure eligible children receive vaccinations. She noted that the outreach strategy aims to improve coverage and reach children whose families may face challenges accessing fixed health facilities during the exercise.
Umeh Chinyere, state health education officer at FPHCB, appealed to journalists to support efforts to strengthen public confidence in the board's healthcare programmes. She said accurate and balanced reporting would encourage greater participation and help address misconceptions that often discourage parents from accessing immunisation services.
