The Ebonyi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (EBSPHCDA), in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC), has engaged journalists at a sensitisation meeting on the Measles and Rubella vaccination campaign.
The campaign aims to ensure that all children in the state, aged 9 months to 14 years, turn out en masse to be vaccinated against the deadly measles and rubella.
The vaccination exercise is scheduled to commence from 4th to 13th February, 2026.
The State Executive Secretary of the EBSPHCDA, Dr Emeka Phillip Ovuaba, disclosed this during the sensitisation meeting held in Abakaliki, the state capital.
“Information is power and Journalists are the custodians of information dissemination, I want you to tell the people of Ebonyi State that phase two of measles and Rubella vaccination is starting on 4th- 13th February, 2026.
“Measles is a highly contagious and deadly disease caused by the measles virus. It spreads easily when an infected person coughs, sneezes or even talks. Rubella, also known as German measles, is a contagious disease caused by the Rubella Virus. It presents like a mild form of Measles disease,” he added.
The UNICEF Health Consultant, Frank Nwodika, while delivering his lecture, pointed out that rubella can be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her unborn child through the placenta, leading to congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).
“CRS can cause serious health complications and birth defects to the newborn such as blindness, deafness, brain damage, and a hole in the heart. Exposure during pregnancy can lead to congenital abnormalities,” Mr Frank said.
The State Technical Assistant, International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC) at Johns Hopkins, advised all parents to bring their children and wards to the designated vaccination centres.
Also, the State Health Educator, Prince Benson Nwali, urged the people of Ebonyi State to actively participate in the second phase of the measles and rubella vaccination campaign.