Chad’s Public Health Minister Dr. Abdelmadjid Abderahim inaugurated today at the Atrone health center in N’Djamena’s 7th arrondissement the national polio vaccination campaign, alongside vitamin A supplementation and albendazole deworming for children aged 0 to 59 months. The initiative runs from June 5 to 7, 2026, aiming to safeguard vulnerable young lives across the country.
The government’s delegate to N’Djamena Province, Amina Kodjienna, emphasized the campaign’s role in reinforcing existing child protection measures. She urged household heads to fully cooperate with health teams to ensure no child is left unvaccinated.
A representative from Rotary International outlined the organization’s long-standing commitment to eradicating polio. The speaker urged parents to actively support health workers in this critical effort.
The UNICEF representative in Chad, Luciano Calestini, described polio as a devastating disease requiring massive mobilization to eliminate it entirely. He called for renewed dedication from all stakeholders and reassured that international partners remain steadfast in supporting Chad’s children.
Dr. Abdelmadjid Abderahim confirmed this public health campaign will span Chad’s 23 provinces from June 5 to 7, 2026. He stressed its importance in shielding children from vaccine-preventable diseases while improving their nutritional health. He also highlighted Chad’s remarkable achievement: no reported cases of wild poliovirus since June 14, 2012, leading to its 2016 certification as wild polio-free by the WHO Regional Certification Commission for Africa.
However, the Minister warned that circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses still pose a risk to children’s health, demanding constant vigilance and collective action.
According to Dr. Abdelmadjid Abderahim, the campaign targets 6,418,757 children aged 0 to 59 months for polio vaccination, while 4.6 million children aged 6 to 59 months will receive vitamin A supplements. Additionally, over 4.2 million children aged 9 to 59 months will undergo albendazole deworming.
The Minister underscored that behind these figures lie real children, families, and the nation’s future. Every vaccinated child represents a triumph over disease, every child given vitamin A gains a stronger chance at healthy growth, and every dewormed child takes a step toward better physical and cognitive development.
Dr. Abdelmadjid Abderahim set an ambitious goal: reaching at least 95% of targeted children in every health district. This would consolidate gains from the previous round and halt the spread of vaccine-derived polioviruses nationwide.
He praised the success of last May’s campaign, commending field teams, supervisors, local authorities, and communities for their outstanding work. The Minister stressed that campaign success hinges on collective responsibility—child health is not solely the healthcare sector’s duty but a shared obligation involving families, communities, local leaders, partners, and citizens alike.
On behalf of the Chadian government, Dr. Abdelmadjid Abderahim expressed deep gratitude to technical and financial partners, including WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, Rotary International, and Nutrition International, for their unwavering support in protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases. He also extended heartfelt thanks to health workers, supervisors, vaccinators, social mobilizers, volunteers, and community actors for their tireless efforts.
