The Ogun State Government says it will vaccinate 2.9 million children against measles and rubella in a state-wide immunisation campaign from 20 to 29 January 2026.
The exercise aimed at preventing outbreaks of the two highly contagious viral diseases, will target children aged 9 months to 14 years.
The campaign was formally unveiled at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Ogun State Primary Health Care Development Board in Abeokuta, the state capital, to sensitise partners, including the media, ahead of the exercise.
The Executive Secretary of the Ogun State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr Elijah Ogunsola, said the campaign would adopt a ward-to-ward and settlement-to-settlement strategy to ensure extensive coverage across the state.
According to him, health workers will reach more than 20,000 settlements, with vaccination points located within proximity to residents’ homes.
“We will operate a ward-to-ward and settlement-to-settlement approach. While this is not a house-to-house campaign, we will identify central locations in each settlement where families can easily access vaccination services.
“Our goal is to ensure that vaccination teams are within 500 metres of households. We are also placing strong emphasis on schools to reach eligible children,” Ogunsola said
He further explained that the campaign would officially end on 29 January, after which measles-rubella vaccination would revert to routine services provided at health facilities.
“After the campaign, only children aged nine months and 15 months will receive the vaccine through routine immunisation. This is why parents are encouraged to take full advantage of this campaign, as it is designed to capture all eligible children,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Dr Thomas Solarin, highlighted the public health risks posed by both diseases, noting that measles remains a major killer of children. At the same time, rubella is particularly dangerous for unborn babies.
“Measles and rubella are closely related, but measles is more aggressive and is responsible for more child deaths. Rubella, however, is especially harmful during pregnancy. Infection can lead to babies being born blind, deaf, or with serious heart defects,” Solarin said.
In his presentation, the State Health Education Officer, Waheed Elegbede, outlined the scale of the disease burden in Nigeria and globally.
He disclosed that Nigeria recorded 719 measles-related deaths, while the burden of rubella remains underreported due to limited disease surveillance.
Globally, he noted, congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) continues to be a major public health challenge, with an estimated 100,000 babies born with the condition in 2024.
Health authorities have called on parents, carers, community leaders and partners to support the campaign by ensuring that all eligible children are presented for vaccination during the exercise, describing it as a critical step towards protecting children and preventing avoidable disabilities and deaths.