The Ekiti State Government has announced the commencement of a statewide measles–rubella vaccination campaign this month as part of efforts to protect children and close existing immunity gaps across the state.
The State Immunisation Officer, Mrs Omolabake Ogundola, disclosed this on Friday in Ado Ekiti during a media orientation and sensitisation meeting organised by the Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Ogundola described measles and rubella as highly contagious and potentially fatal diseases, noting that the introduction of the MR vaccine into the state’s immunisation programme was aimed at safeguarding children’s health.
“The measles–rubella vaccine will be introduced into routine immunisation in the third week of January,” she said. “This will be preceded by a 10-day statewide vaccination campaign targeting children aged nine months to 14 years.”
She explained that after the campaign, the MR vaccine would replace the standalone measles vaccine and become part of routine immunisation, to be administered at nine months and 15 months as first and second doses respectively.
According to Ogundola, the campaign is expected to reach about 17 per cent of Ekiti State’s total population, adding that attaining between 90 and 95 per cent coverage would be considered a successful outcome.
“We will use both administrative data and post-campaign surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of the exercise,” she added.
On implementation strategies, the immunisation officer said all health facilities providing routine immunisation services would remain operational throughout the campaign period. She added that mobile vaccination teams would be deployed to communities to establish temporary posts.
“Special outreach activities will be conducted in rural areas, farm settlements, factory locations and security-challenged areas, in collaboration with security agencies where required,” Ogundola said.
Also speaking, the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Dr Segun Adeoye, described immunisation as one of the most effective public health interventions globally, stressing its importance in reducing illness and death among children and mothers.
“The media remains a critical partner in public health campaigns,” Adeoye said. “Its credibility helps to build public trust and confidence, which is essential for the success of vaccination programmes.”
He explained that the media engagement was organised to equip journalists with accurate information on the MR vaccine, including its safety, effectiveness, target population and campaign strategies, to ensure responsible and consistent reporting.
The State Technical Assistant with the World Health Organisation, Dr Ebube Eronini, described the campaign as “a vital intervention to close immunity gaps against measles and rubella,” adding that the exercise would cover all communities in Ekiti State.
“Measles can lead to severe complications such as malnutrition, blindness, brain inflammation and death, especially in children under five,” she said.
“Rubella, on the other hand, poses serious risks to pregnant women and can result in congenital rubella syndrome, causing heart defects, hearing loss and visual impairment in infants.”
The State Technical Assistant for the International Vaccine Access Centre, Mrs Folakemi Aladenika, urged parents and caregivers to take full advantage of the campaign period, noting that children outside the eligible age bracket would no longer have access to the vaccine once it is fully integrated into routine immunisation.
Similarly, the State Health Educator, Dr Olajumoke Oguntoye, said key stakeholders—including traditional rulers, religious leaders, school authorities, parent-teacher associations and education stakeholders—had been sensitised and had endorsed the vaccination exercise.
She expressed confidence that the broad-based support would contribute to a successful campaign and ensure that no eligible child is left behind.
