Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Capital Territory Administration has intensified preparations for the 2026 Schistosomiasis Mass Administration of Medicines campaign, seeking stronger stakeholder collaboration to protect thousands of children from the neglected tropical disease.
Speaking on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting in Abuja, Director of Public Health at the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Teresa Nwachukwu, described schistosomiasis as a persistent public health challenge affecting children and vulnerable populations.
Represented by Dr. Ngozi Ebisike, Head of Disease Control Division, she said the campaign would play a crucial role in reducing disease burden across the six Area Councils.
“The forthcoming MAM campaign is a critical intervention aimed at protecting the health of our children and communities,” she said.
The administration said the campaign would focus primarily on children aged five to 14 years in schools and communities.
Programme Officer and FCT State Lead of the Health and Development Support Programme (HANDS), Mr. Achai Ijah, said the intervention requires strong community support to succeed.
“Residents are more likely to embrace health interventions when messages come from trusted leaders.” FCT Targets Millions of Children in Major Anti-Parasite Campaign
The meeting attracted officials from SUBEB, PHCB, RUWASSA, NAPPS and other stakeholders involved in public health and education.
Health officials say community participation will determine the success of efforts to eliminate schistosomiasis as a public health problem within the FCT.
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Oluwafunbi Bello 