The Enugu State Government will begin a statewide Measles–Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign on February 4, 2026, targeting more than two million children aged between nine months and 14 years.
The exercise, scheduled to run until February 14 with additional mop-up days, is part of Nigeria’s national drive to eliminate measles and rubella and protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Speaking during a media orientation on the MR vaccine, the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Chinelo Nnadi, said misinformation and persistent myths remain major barriers to vaccine uptake despite the proven safety and effectiveness of immunisation.
Dr. Nnadi called on journalists to step up public enlightenment, noting that accurate and responsible reporting is vital to building public confidence in vaccination programmes.
She explained that although measles and rubella may appear mild in children, rubella is particularly dangerous during pregnancy, as it can lead to congenital rubella syndrome, resulting in serious and lifelong disabilities such as heart defects in newborns.
“The aim of this campaign is to significantly reduce measles and rubella cases and protect our children from illnesses that are completely avoidable,” she said.
According to her, the success of the campaign will depend not only on vaccine availability but also on strong community mobilisation and advocacy.
“It is not just about having the vaccines or the logistics. We need people who will encourage parents and adolescents to come out for vaccination, and that is where stakeholders play a crucial role,” she added.
Also speaking, the State Immunisation Officer, Dr. Chinyere Chime, said the vaccination exercise would cover all 17 local government areas and wards in the State.
She said vaccinations would be administered at public health facilities as well as temporary posts within communities to ensure easy access and wide coverage.
Dr. Chime described measles and rubella as major contributors to child mortality and congenital abnormalities globally, stressing that both diseases are preventable through the combined measles–rubella vaccine.
She added that after the campaign, the MR vaccine would be integrated into routine immunisation, with doses administered at nine months and 15 months, replacing the current standalone measles vaccine.
A representative of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Deputy Director of the Surveillance Division, Abdulaziz Yahaya Ahmed, said the campaign is aimed at closing immunity gaps across the country.
He noted that Nigeria is targeting a reduction of measles and rubella cases to five per million people by 2026 and one per million by 2030.
Ahmed urged the media to support the campaign through accurate reporting and sustained community sensitisation.
Development partners, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, ARFH, C-WIN, AFENET, CMS and IVAC, endorsed the exercise and appealed to parents and caregivers to ensure eligible children are vaccinated.
They warned that children outside the approved age bracket would not be eligible once the vaccine is fully integrated into routine immunisation, emphasising that the vaccines are free, safe and will be administered only by trained health workers.
-Daily Sun
