The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced a major vaccination initiative aimed at protecting children from measles in four northern states of Nigeria.
During a press conference in Bauchi, Health Officer Patrick Akor revealed that the campaign will target approximately 3.8 million children aged nine to 59 months and is set to begin on Saturday, lasting for seven days.
The states involved in this integrated measles vaccination campaign are Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, and Plateau. Akor indicated that over 4 million doses of measles vaccines have already been distributed to these regions.
In addition to the measles campaign, UNICEF will also launch an oral polio vaccination initiative across five northern states, aiming to immunize around 6.8 million children aged zero to 59 months in Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, and Adamawa. A total of 7.4 million doses for this campaign have been delivered.
UNICEF is committed to ensuring that no eligible child is left unvaccinated and has called on media practitioners to assist in spreading awareness, particularly in grassroots communities.
George Eki, a Social and Behavioural Change Specialist at UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, emphasized the organization’s collaborative efforts with the Nigerian government and various partners to facilitate this vaccination campaign, which includes logistical support, vaccine availability, and a robust cold chain system for storage.
Eki highlighted the importance of advocacy and communication, ensuring that communities are informed about vaccination schedules, eligibility, and locations for receiving vaccines. Through these efforts, UNICEF aims to enhance child health and combat vaccine-preventable diseases in Nigeria.
