Nasarawa State Leads in National Measles Rubella Immunization Campaign With 103% Coverage
Over 1.36 million children have received the Measles Rubella (MR) vaccine in Nasarawa State, as part of Nigeria’s nationwide immunization campaign to protect children from the highly contagious disease.
This milestone was disclosed by Mr. Abubakar Halilu Awe, the State Immunization Officer at the Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, during a media briefing with Radio Nigeria on the campaign’s coverage.
Nasarawa Tops List Among Implementing States
According to Mr. Halilu Awe, Nasarawa State is currently leading among the 12 states under Phase 1, Stream One of the national immunization campaign, with 103% MR vaccine coverage. A total of 1,360,869 children between the ages of 9 months and 14 years were vaccinated across all local government areas.
“We will use the two-day mop-up period to reach settlements that were partially covered and ensure every eligible child is vaccinated,” said Mr. Awe.
Tackling Vaccine Hesitancy and Non-Compliance
The State’s success was made possible by strong coordination and proactive steps taken by the State Taskforce on Immunization, especially in addressing vaccine hesitancy in federal institutions.
Speaking on the advocacy strategy, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Ibrahim, Director of Education, Communication, Advocacy, and Social Mobilization, emphasized the role of political will, stakeholder engagement, and traditional/religious leaders in achieving high coverage.
“We worked with the Chairman of the State House Committee on Health and other top officials to resolve compliance issues at institutions like Federal Government College Keffi and Federal Government College Doma,” said Ibrahim.
He explained that some institutions initially withheld participation, citing the need to first consult with Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs) to obtain consent.
Community Support and Parental Consent Boost Coverage
Field visits by Radio Nigeria to vacciMeasles
nation posts in schools and worship centers showed strong community involvement, with parents and teachers assisting health workers during the vaccination process.
Two parents, Mr. Dan Yakubu and Mrs. Esther Okorie, expressed confidence in the MR vaccine, citing its effectiveness and importance in protecting their children from disease.
In private schools, such as the one where Mrs. Esther Eze teaches, management made sure to obtain parental consent before vaccinating pupils and students.
Vaccine Demand Surges as State Receives Additional Doses
Due to the overwhelming response and rising demand for both the Measles Rubella and HPV vaccines, Nasarawa State has received additional vaccine doses from other states to address stock shortages.
