The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced the commencement of strict enforcement measures to ensure compliance with child immunisation requirements across schools in the nation’s capital.
It warned that refusal to allow vaccination teams access constitutes a breach of the Child Rights Act (CRA) of 2003.
Speaking during a press conference held at the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC), Garki, the Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, said the move became necessary following reports that several schools within the federal capital denied vaccination teams access during the ongoing Measles-Rubella (MR) campaign.
“Such actions are deeply concerning because they undermine public health gains and put our children at unnecessary risk. Denying a child access to vaccination is not merely an administrative lapse; it is a violation of a fundamental child right,” Dr. Fasawe stated.
Fasawe noted that despite the overall success of the MR vaccination exercise, with most of the target population already reached through collaborative efforts of the FCT Administration, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and development partners — non-compliance by certain schools threatened the campaign’s objectives.
She revealed that the FCTA introduced an innovation linking immunisation efforts with the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), which supported 600 vaccination teams across the six Area Councils with reflective jackets to boost visibility and coordination.
The Mandate Secretary emphasised that the Child Rights Act, as domesticated in the FCT, guarantees every child the right to health and protection from preventable diseases.
According to her, Sections 13 and 14 of the Act impose a legal obligation on parents, guardians, and schools to ensure that every child is fully immunised.
She said, in line with this, the HSES has already taken concrete steps to address violations. These include:
“To strengthen enforcement and ensure sustainability, the FCT Administration has approved a set of directives for all public and private schools. These include mandatory immunisation verification during admission, the establishment of a Child Health Register in every school, and collaboration with Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) for on-site vaccination,” Fasawe announced.
She added that schools are also expected to incorporate immunisation awareness into assemblies and PTA meetings, and submit monthly compliance reports through the Education Secretariat to the Health Services and Environment Secretariat.
Failure to adhere to these directives, she warned, would attract administrative sanctions under existing FCT Education and Public Health Regulations.
Fasawe commended the management of Stella Maris School, Abuja, for their exemplary cooperation and openness to vaccination teams, describing the institution as “a model of compliance and partnership.”
She appealed to other school proprietors, administrators, and parents to emulate this example by supporting the ongoing vaccination campaign.
She stressed that, “Immunisation saves lives — it is a collective responsibility, a legal duty, and a moral imperative. We must all join hands to ensure that no child in the Federal Capital Territory is denied protection from preventable diseases.”
The Mandate Secretary reiterated that immunisation remains safe, effective, and essential for protecting children and sustaining Nigeria’s public health gains.
She assured residents of the FCTA’s continued efforts to strengthen disease prevention, access to vaccination, and collaboration with local and international partners.
“Together, we can ensure that every child in the FCT enjoys the full right to health, protection, and survival,” she added.
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