Anambra target over 1.1 million children for measles vaccination

Over 1.1 million children are being targeted in the forthcoming Anambra State 2024 integrated Measles Campaign to cover children and reduce the burden of the complaint.

Mrs Uju Onwuegbuzina, State Health Educator, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, gave the statistics at the Zonal Meeting ahead of the 2024 Integrated Measles Campaign.

The meeting with the theme-‘ Immunisation A Community Responsibility for a Healthier Future’, was organised by United Nations Children’s finances( UNICEF) and the National Orientation Agency, in Enugu.

The 2024 Integrated Measles Campaign would be enforced in Anambra, Benue, Enugu, Cross River and Kogi countries.

Onwuegbuzina said the state had received 1,227,113 doses of the measles vaccines for the vaccination of children in 330 wards across the 21 Original Government Areas of the state.

She said the measles vaccination is listed to start on Oct 12 and end on Oct. 18, in all health installations, designated fixed and mobile posts in communities, churches, schools and markets.

Onwuegbuzina identified Ihiala, Nnewi South, Orumba South, and Ogbaru as security-compromised areas causing significant challenges in reaching children for vaccination.

“To insure no child is left behind and for us to meet the target of vaccinating 1,168,679 children, we will use aborigines of these security-compromised areas to carry out the campaign since they know the areas better.

“Anambra is ready for perpetration as we’ve commenced media engagements to consolidate awareness, advocacy visits to traditional, community and religious leaders as well as training of vaccination brigades.

“This campaign is veritably important to cover our children from this killer complaint and secure their future. So, we encourage parents and caregivers, to bring out their children for vaccination,” she said.

Also speaking, Dr Hilary Ozoh, UNICEF’s Social and Behaviour Change Specialist, said the measles vaccination was targeted at children from nine to 59 months of age, as well as eligible children irrespective of former vaccination history.

Ozoh said the media was critical to achieving the public target of 95 per cent content during the vaccination crusade.

He prompted the media to write data-grounded stories and report their stories from instructional point of view, to educate and enlighten Nigerians on the measles crusade to eventually ameliorate health services in the state.