The wife of the Abia State Governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti, has flagged off the Measles–Rubella (MR) Vaccination Campaign in the state, urging parents and caregivers to ensure all eligible children are vaccinated.
Otti made the call on Tuesday at the official inauguration of the campaign in Umuahia, describing measles and rubella as highly contagious but preventable diseases that pose serious risks to children and unborn babies.
She explained that measles could lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, blindness, and death, while rubella infection during pregnancy often results in congenital defects.
Otti noted that the campaign targets children aged nine months to 14 years and aims to protect them through safe, effective, and free vaccination.
She appealed to parents to rely on verified medical information and professional guidance rather than rumors and misinformation, emphasizing that vaccination remains one of the most effective public health interventions.
Otti commended the Abia Government for prioritizing preventive healthcare and lauded the Ministry of Health, health workers, and development partners for their commitment to the campaign.
She called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, women groups, and community influences to mobilize support at the grassroots level to ensure wide coverage.
Otti urged health workers to conduct the exercise with professionalism and compassion to build public trust.
“A healthy child is the foundation of a hopeful future. By vaccinating our children today, we are safeguarding the future of Abia,” she said.
Otti pledged her full support for the campaign and appealed for collective action to ensure no child is left behind.
In his speech, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche, said measles and rubella remain major public health concerns.
Uche noted that measles is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable childhood deaths, while rubella poses severe risks during pregnancy, including Congenital Rubella Syndrome.
He explained that the campaign is designed to interrupt transmission by vaccinating all eligible children, regardless of previous immunization status.
Uche stressed that the vaccine is safe, free, and available at all primary healthcare centres and through outreach teams in schools and markets.
The commissioner added that the campaign aligns with the government’s ongoing health sector reforms and urged stakeholders to support mobilization efforts to ensure every child is vaccinated.
The Executive Secretary of the Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Kalu Kalu, said the campaign targets eligible children across the state to curb the spread of these diseases.
Kalu explained that measles and rubella can cause severe complications, including death and congenital disabilities, but are preventable through vaccination.
He assured parents and caregivers that the vaccines are safe, effective, and free, adding that health workers have been trained and logistics provided for smooth implementation in all local government areas, in collaboration with development partners.
Kalu called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, community groups, and the media to support mobilization efforts.
He urged parents to present their children for vaccination to help eliminate the diseases and reduce child mortality.
The State Coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Mrs Ibelema Onu, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting children from preventable diseases.
Onu said the MR campaign marks a major step in safeguarding children and communities against measles and rubella, which still pose serious public health threats.
She noted that measles can cause severe fever, rash, pneumonia, blindness, and death, while rubella infection during pregnancy can result in congenital defects in newborns.
Onu highlighted that although Nigeria has made progress in routine immunization, gaps remain in reaching every eligible child, particularly with vaccines for measles, yellow fever, and polio.
According to her, supplemental immunization activities (SIAs) remain critical in boosting population immunity, especially in areas with low routine coverage, by targeting missed children.
She explained that the MR campaign would be integrated with Routine Immunization Optimization (RIO) and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.
Onu said RIO targets children aged zero to 23 months, HPV targets girls aged nine years, while the MR vaccine would be administered to children aged nine months to 14 years.
She added that vaccination would be conducted through health facilities and temporary fixed posts, stressing that MR vaccines are safe, effective, and free, fully funded by the government.
In his remarks, a UNICEF Health Consultant, Dr Hyacinth Egbuna, described the campaign as a life-saving investment and a collective responsibility to ensure no child is left unprotected.
Egbuna said UNICEF has supported Abia through advocacy, communication, and social mobilization activities across state, local government, and ward levels, including hard-to-reach and underserved communities.
He noted that these activities include stakeholder sensitization, engagement of traditional and religious leaders, radio jingles, media engagements, roadshows, and community outreaches to address misconceptions and build trust.
Also speaking, an official of John Snow Incorporated, Prof. Amos Bassey, commended the state government and partners for timely vaccine delivery and effective preparation.
Bassey said health workers have been trained, with support from WHO and UNICEF, to ensure children under 14 years targeted in the campaign are adequately protected.
In his remarks, the World Health Organization (WHO) State Representative, Dr Jubril Alkasim (represented by WHO MRV Technical Officer in Abia, Dr Ikechukwu Chidolue), said data show that about 75% of children affected in recent measles outbreaks were unvaccinated.
Alkasim noted that WHO and its partners have developed high-risk operational plans to reach hard-to-reach and security-compromised areas, with support from security agencies.
He added that the organization has deployed 291 field volunteers across all wards in the state, alongside facilitators in the 17 local government areas, to ensure effective supervision and last-mile coverage.
Alkasim said independent monitoring, post-campaign coverage surveys, and lot quality assurance sampling would be conducted to ensure the success of the exercise.
