Ogun state government will deploy over 5,000 health personnel to various areas of the state for its 2024 measles campaign, to immunise approximately 1,136,953 children between the ages of 9 months and 5 years across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, stated this during a press conference in Abeokuta, on the state’s Implementation of the 2024 Integrated Measles Campaign, disclosing that while the seven-day exercise would commence on Saturday, October 19 and end on Friday, October 25, 2024, the flagg-off was slated for Friday, October 18, 2024, at Saint Peter’s Anglican Primary School, Siun, in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state.
Dr. Coker, who explained that measles vaccinations were essential because unvaccinated children run the risk of developing blindness, brain damage and high fever that could cause seizures and deformity, emphasised the state government’s efforts at reducing measles worldwide, pointing out that the state’s 2022 campaign resulted in significant drop in confirmed measles cases from 118 in October 2022 to 15 in the same period in 2024.
“The campaign conducted two years ago in the state, led to a marked reduction in the number of confirmed Measles cases from 118 as of October 2022 to 15 in the same period in 2024. There has also been a drop of Yellow Fever confirmed cases from 3 in October 2022 to zero confirmed cases in the same period in 2024, according to WHO, Ogun State.
The commissioner, while noting that immunisation is free, urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the initiative by taking their children to designated centres across the 236 wards in the state.
“I would also like to inform you that the campaign will involve the use of government health facilities (primary, secondary and tertiary), churches, mosques, markets, schools, parks and garages, and other designated temporary fixed posts. I am using this medium to call on parents and caregivers to take advantage of the campaign by taking their children 9 months to 59 months to get their children vaccinated against this killer but preventable disease, namely measles. The vaccine is safe, effective and free of charge”, she said.
In the same vein, Ogun State residents have been assured of safety of the vaccines to be administered, as they have gone through detailed process and have been certified.
The Executive Secretary, Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, represented by the Director, Disease Control and Immunisation, Dr. Thomas Solarin, gave the assurance during a stakeholders’ meeting with Zonal Education Officers, representatives of private school owners, traditional rulers, religious leaders, Civil Society Organisations, market women and community leaders, among others.
He urged participants to use their various platforms to spread correct and accurate information on the importance of the vaccination campaign, aimed at protecting the lives of children.
In their separate remarks, the state Coordinator, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Victoria Adebiyi and the UNICEF Consultant, Vaccine Security and Logistics (VSL), Mrs. Florence Moloku, sought full support for the exercise, in other to achieve desired result of 95 percent coverage, with no eligible child left unimmunised.
Responding, the representative of private schools, Mr. Saliu Akewugberu and a community leader, Mr. Fatai Bello, commended the state government efforts in the area of health and children’s well-being, promising to do their best to support and ensure a seamless and successful exercise.
