The Gombe State Government says it is targeting 1.7 million children for measles-rubella vaccination under the ongoing 2025 Integrated Measles-Rubella Campaign.
The exercise, which runs from October 18 to 28, is being implemented in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), GAVI, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to Abdulkarim Aliyu, the State Immunisation Officer at the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency (GSPHCDA), the campaign aims to vaccinate children aged 0 months to 14 years against measles, rubella, poliomyelitis, human papillomavirus (HPV), and other diseases covered under routine immunisation.
Aliyu, who spoke on Tuesday in Gombe after monitoring the exercise alongside UNICEF representatives, said the campaign had already reached over 30 per cent of its target population by the third day.
“About 1.8 million doses of MR vaccines were received for Gombe State, and we are targeting 1.7 million children. So far, 481,734 children have been vaccinated as of the evening of day three,” he said.
“For the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), we received over one million doses, and 253,772 children have been reached as of day three,” he added.
He expressed optimism that the state would achieve at least 95 per cent coverage by the end of the campaign, citing high turnout and minimal resistance from communities.
During a monitoring visit, community health workers were seen administering vaccines at designated immunisation centres across the state.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Asmau Madi of Gidan Magani, commended the government and its partners for their efforts to reduce child mortality through immunisation.
“Since my children started receiving vaccinations, they hardly fall sick. I encourage all mothers to take their children for the exercise — the vaccines are safe and effective,” she said.
At Bolari West Primary Health Centre, a father of eight, Abdulkarim Bello, said he had to personally take his nine-year-old son for vaccination after learning that the boy had run away from school to avoid the exercise.
“I heard on the radio that the vaccines are available and good for the children. I don’t want to see my son fall sick, so I brought him myself,” Bello explained.
Members of the UNICEF delegation on the monitoring visit included Dr. Rownak Khan, Deputy Representative of UNICEF Nigeria; Dr. Kabiru Shall, Nigeria Immunisation Manager; and Oluseyi Olosunde, Nigeria Health Officer.
The team visited the state’s central cold store and some local government cold storage facilities to assess vaccine management, and also met with traditional leaders in Billiri Local Government Area to solicit community support for the campaign.
