Anambra State First Lady, Dr. Nonye Soludo has flagged off a statewide measles-rubella vaccination campaign aimed at protecting millions of children from the highly infectious diseases, state health officials said.
The campaign was launched at the Iruzu Primary Health Centre in Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area, marking the start of the administration of the vaccine to eligible children across Anambra State.
The measles-rubella vaccine introduction campaign is being implemented in collaboration with national and international partners, including Nigeria’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other stakeholders.
Rubella, a viral infection closely related to measles, poses a serious health risk to children aged nine months to 14 years.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony through the wife of the deputy governor, Oluchi Ibezim, Mrs Soludo said vaccination remained one of the most effective ways to protect children from preventable diseases. She urged parents to ensure early immunisation, describing the vaccines as safe and essential.
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She acknowledged that some children may experience mild side effects such as low-grade fever, temporary swelling, or brief discomfort, but said these reactions usually subside quickly and should not deter parents from vaccinating their children.
Mrs Soludo assured parents and caregivers that trained health workers had been deployed for the exercise and that support systems and referral centres were in place to address any concerns.
She also appealed to parents, local government officials, schools, and religious leaders to support the campaign, with a target of vaccinating more than 98% of eligible children in the state.
The zonal director of the NPHCDA, Samuel Obasi, said measles and rubella remained major threats to child health in Nigeria but expressed confidence that Anambra’s strong commitment to healthcare would ensure the campaign’s success.
WHO zonal coordinator Chimuanya Igboekwu said the two diseases shared similar symptoms, making combined vaccination essential. He added that the WHO and its partners were supporting efforts to achieve full coverage across all 326 wards in the state.
Health officials said the campaign aims to reach about 2.7 million children through vaccination points in markets, schools, churches, other places of worship, and hard-to-reach communities.
The state commissioner for health, Afam Obidike, and the executive secretary of the Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Chisom Uchem, said monitoring and supervision mechanisms had been strengthened to ensure effective mobilisation and maximum coverage.