Lagos begins 2018 Measles Campaign, targets over 3 million children

Onanuga

Over three million children between 9 months and 5 years will be immunised against measles in Lagos State from 15 to 29 March.

 for children 

 

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Dr Olufemi Onanuga  who  made  this known at a news briefing in Alausa Ikeja stated that the 2018 Measles vaccination campaign would be held in two streams in all Local Government and Local Council Development Areas in the State.

Dr. Onanuga explained that the first stream of the measles vaccination would cover Alimosho, Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin ,Epe, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Mushin and Ojo local government areas between Thursday this week  and next week  Thursday while the second stream would commence on  Thursday 22nd and Thursday 29th of March,  in Apapa, Badagry, Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikeja, Ifako-Ijaiye, kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Somolu and Surulere Council Areas.

He said  over 4,526 house-to-house mobilizers have been mandated to encourage parents of eligible children to visit the two categories of vaccination posts to be used for the exercise.

According to him, the two categories of vaccination posts are Fixed and Temporary Fixed.

While Permanent Health facilities would be utilised as Fixed Vaccination Posts, selected public and private schools, mosques, churches, town halls, houses of traditional leader, bus stops, motor parks, streets corners and markets, as well as hard-to-reach areas and border communities would be converted to temporary fixed posts.

"“The Temporary Fixed Vaccination Posts on the other hand will be located at selected public and private schools, mosques, churches, town halls, houses of traditional leader, bus stops or terminals, motor parks, streets and markets, and hard-to-reach areas and border communities. Immunization will be provided at these sites from the hours of 8am to 4pm”, he noted.

 

Dr Onanuga  who said the objective of the exercise was to immunise at least 95 percent of the targeted children irrespective of their previous immunization status, pointed out  that the immunity conferred by measles vaccination is expected to be life-long, but its efficacy is not one hundred.

His words; “Mop-up exercises would be carried out for the first and second streams between 21st and 22nd of March, 2018 and 28th and 29th of March, 2018 respectively in wards and communities adjudged not to have been adequately covered, as set out in the objectives of the campaign”, the Special Adviser said.

“The objective of the campaign is to immunize at least 95 percent of children aged 9 months to 5 years with measles vaccine in all local government areas regardless of their previous immunization status,.

“I hereby seize this opportunity to encourage our parents and care givers to ensure that their children and wards are taken to the primary health care clinics to receive measles vaccine and all other scheduled routine immunizations. This is with a view to protecting them against the preventable killer diseases,” .

“Thousands of volunteers from partners such as United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Nigerian Red Cross Society, Rotary Club International and Lions Club have been mobilized to complement awareness creation activities at the community level”, he said.

Measles which is a highly contagious viral illness is transmitted through respiratory droplets and has higher rate of mortality among children less than five years of age.

Reported by Radio Nigeria on 13 March, 2018