The Enugu State Government has announced that more than 1.5 million children have been vaccinated against measles and rubella within the first week of its ongoing statewide immunisation campaign.
The Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Ifeyinwa Ani-Ocheku, disclosed this on Wednesday during the official launch of the integrated Measles–Rubella vaccination exercise at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu.
According to her, the figure represents about 68 per cent of the state’s estimated target of 2.2 million children aged between nine months and 14 years, describing the achievement as unprecedented.
“This is not just a campaign; it is a clear statement of intent. The life of a child in Nsukka is as valuable as the life of a child anywhere in the world,” Ani-Ocheku said.
“In Enugu, the health of our children is non-negotiable. Our goal is zero measles and zero rubella.”
She explained that health workers adopted intensive community engagement strategies, including door-to-door visits and outreach to schools, churches and mosques, to ensure wide coverage across the state. She added that no serious adverse reactions had been reported since the campaign began.
Ani-Ocheku further noted that measles and rubella pose significant health risks to children, ranging from blindness and deafness to brain swelling and death, while rubella could result in severe congenital disabilities when contracted during pregnancy.
“Science has given us a safe and effective vaccine—one dose, double protection. This success belongs to our communities,” she stated.
Speaking at the event, Governor Peter Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, described the vaccination drive as a moral responsibility of government.
“Our future is not only in infrastructure or investments; it is in the children sitting in classrooms, playing in courtyards and lying in cradles across Enugu State,” Onyia quoted the governor as saying.
“A sick child cannot learn, grow or lead. That is why health remains central to our economic and development agenda.”
The governor highlighted reforms in the state’s health sector, including granting autonomy to local government health authorities, cleaning up payroll systems, revitalising training institutions and ensuring access to Basic Health Care Provision Funds.
He urged parents and caregivers to ensure that eligible children are vaccinated before the campaign ends, stressing that the current coverage, while commendable, was not sufficient.
“Sixty-eight per cent is progress, but it is not enough. Viruses exploit gaps. We must find every remaining child and protect them,” he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, alongside the Chairman of Oji River Local Government Area, Mr Greg Anyaegbudike, appealed to parents and caregivers to take advantage of the remaining days of the exercise.
Ugwu reassured residents of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, noting that the campaign, which commenced on February 3, will conclude on February 15.
The exercise is being carried out with the support of health workers across the state as part of efforts to eliminate measles and rubella infections among children in Enugu.
