Targets over 1 million children aged 9 months to 14 years
By Bunmi Yekini
The Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA) has announced plans to commence an integrated Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign across the state from February 4 to 14, 2026, as part of efforts to eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases among children.
Executive Secretary of ASPHCDA, Mrs. Chisom Uchem, disclosed this during a two-day residential training for local government health educators under the Saving Lives and Livelihoods (SLL) project, sponsored by the Mastercard Foundation and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and implemented by the Nigerian Red Cross Society and Sydani Group.
Represented by Dr. Placid Uliagbafusi, Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Uchem highlighted that Nigeria continues to contribute significantly to the global burden of measles and rubella.
“Between 2019 and 2024, Nigeria recorded 94,305 confirmed measles cases and 719 deaths. Measles remains one of the leading causes of death among children under five,” she said, citing data from the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA).
She described measles as a highly contagious viral disease that can cause severe complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, and death, stressing the need for mass vaccination to bridge immunity gaps.
“Nigeria and Anambra aspire to be free of vaccine-preventable diseases. We need to prioritise mass vaccination campaigns to reduce outbreaks,” Uchem said.
“Our goal is to reduce measles-rubella cases to five per one million people by 2026, and to one per one million by 2030 through increased population immunity.”
She explained that the state’s vaccination drive forms part of the second phase of Nigeria’s national measles-rubella campaign, targeting children aged nine months to 14 years across all local government areas.
Also speaking, Mrs. Uju Onwuegbuzina, the State Health Educator, emphasised the importance of community engagement and awareness creation ahead of the vaccination campaign.
“This training is to prepare health workers to mobilise communities before the February 2026 exercise,” she said.
“You need to go into the communities, engage parents, religious and traditional leaders, and other stakeholders to secure their commitment, raise awareness, and dispel misconceptions about vaccines.”
In his remarks, Mr. Kingsley Okoye, State Branch Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting the state in strengthening routine immunisation and promoting vaccine acceptance.
“This programme aims to increase vaccine uptake and build public trust. We are committed to ensuring that the SLL project achieves its goals in Anambra,” Okoye stated.
The campaign is expected to reach hundreds of communities across Anambra State, marking another significant step in the state’s ongoing effort to safeguard the health of children and eliminate measles and rubella by 2030.