…avoid vaccinating children who are seriously ill at the time of the campaign – Expert
From Leo Zwanke, Lafia
In a bold move to safeguard the health of children across Nasarawa State, Governor Abdullahi Sule has officially flagged off the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign at Akwanga Local Government Area, marking the start of a comprehensive statewide effort targeting more than 1.37 million children aged 9 months to 14 years.
The launch, held amid growing concern over recent measles outbreaks in parts of the state, underscores Nasarawa’s commitment to reducing child mortality and combating vaccine-preventable diseases. With the campaign, the government aims to eliminate measles and rubella infections while integrating the MR vaccine into the routine immunisation schedule.
The event attracted top government officials, traditional rulers, health experts, and development partners including UNICEF, AFENET, WHO, Gavi, and C-WINS. It marked a decisive step in tackling measles and rubella, diseases that can cause blindness, deafness, brain damage, and even death in unvaccinated children.
Before the launch, Nasarawa State had been grappling with recurring measles outbreaks, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities. Earlier in 2025, an outbreak in Taliga village of Rukubi Ward in Doma Local Government Area left over 40 children infected, according to the State Ministry of Health. Although no deaths were recorded, the incident exposed gaps in immunisation coverage and the persistence of “zero-dose” children — those who have never received any vaccines.
Health officials observed that most of the affected children in Doma had not received a single dose of the measles vaccine, revealing the scale of the challenge. The outbreak prompted emergency response teams to deploy rapid intervention measures, including mop-up vaccination, disease surveillance, and intensified community mobilisation.
Governor Sule, deeply concerned by the development, ordered immediate containment measures and directed the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (NAPHDA) to strengthen vaccination campaigns. This urgency culminated in the official launch of the Measles-Rubella campaign in Akwanga.
Flagging off the campaign, Governor Sule urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the opportunity to protect their children against life-threatening diseases.
“I strongly endorse the Measles-Rubella vaccine introduced by the Federal and State Governments in partnership with our development partners. Measles and rubella are highly contagious and can cause deafness, blindness, heart defects, brain damage, and even death in children,” the governor said.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare system through increased funding, improved infrastructure, and enhanced human resource capacity, especially at the grassroots level.
“We are working to ensure that this vaccine is available, accessible, and administered by qualified health workers in all our local government areas. I appeal to every parent and caregiver to bring their children between 9 months and 14 years to the vaccination centres during this campaign,” he added.
Governor Sule praised partners such as UNICEF, Gavi, WHO, and AFENET for their continued support, describing their collaboration as “a demonstration of shared commitment to child survival and a healthy Nasarawa.”
The campaign aims to reach 1,372,251 children across Nasarawa’s 13 Local Government Areas — one of the highest targets in North Central Nigeria. It adopts a multi-pronged approach combining fixed posts, temporary outreach stations, and house-to-house mobilisation to ensure that even children in remote communities are not left out.
According to Dr. Usman Iskilu, Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, the campaign is a crucial step in the fight to eliminate measles and rubella.
“The Measles-Rubella campaign is not just a stand-alone activity. It’s part of an integrated effort that includes strengthening routine immunisation, disease surveillance, and public education. Our goal is to ensure that every eligible child receives the vaccine and that no community is left behind,” he said.
Health experts across Nasarawa have hailed the initiative as timely and necessary. At a media dialogue organised by UNICEF and partners in Lafia ahead of the flag-off, Dr. Abraham Kayode, AFENET consultant for Nasarawa, stressed the importance of mass participation to achieve herd immunity.
“The target is 1.3 million children in Nasarawa alone — nearly the entire child population between 9 months and 14 years. Parents should ensure their children are vaccinated at designated posts during the exercise,” he said.
Dr. Kayode warned against vaccinating children who are seriously ill during the campaign and encouraged caregivers to seek medical advice in such cases. He emphasised that the vaccine is safe, free, and effective, dismissing rumours and misinformation circulating in some communities.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Gaza Gwamna, noted that the administration is leaving nothing to chance.
“We are dealing with a disease that spreads fast and can be deadly, especially among unvaccinated children. That is why our approach goes beyond vaccination — it includes communication, training, and community engagement,” he said.
He further explained that religious and traditional leaders have been engaged to mobilise their followers and dispel myths surrounding vaccination.
“We are sensitive to the cultural and religious contexts of our people, and that is why we are involving community leaders,” he added.
The Paramount Ruler of Akwanga, HRH The Chu-Mada, Samson Gamu Yare, commended Governor Sule for prioritising child health and pledged traditional institutions’ continued support.
“Our role as traditional leaders is to protect our people. We will continue to encourage our subjects to take their children for immunisation. Vaccination saves lives and prevents unnecessary suffering,” he said.
Grassroots mobilisation is being driven by health educators, women’s groups, youth associations, and local volunteers, who are conducting door-to-door awareness campaigns in villages across all 13 LGAs.
Dr. Luqman Ahmad of UNICEF’s Kaduna Field Office described Nasarawa as a model for collaboration.
“We are impressed with the level of political commitment in Nasarawa. The governor himself has championed the cause of immunisation and accountability. Our joint focus is to reach every eligible child, especially those who have never received any vaccine before — the zero-dose children,” he said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) also reaffirmed its support, emphasising disease surveillance and post-campaign evaluation to ensure no community is left out.
While the campaign is ambitious, challenges persist. Data from the State Primary Health Care Development Agency show that thousands of children remain unvaccinated due to distance from health facilities, insecurity in some border areas, and cultural resistance. Among nomadic populations, vaccine hesitancy has often been linked to misinformation and religious beliefs, but sustained community engagement is gradually improving acceptance.
In Doma LGA, community health worker Mrs. Asabe Ibrahim said the main obstacle is lack of awareness rather than lack of vaccines.
“Some mothers still believe vaccines will make their children sick or infertile. Others think the campaign is political. But when we explain in their own language and show healthy children who were vaccinated, they start to understand,” she said.
Nasarawa has experienced repeated measles outbreaks in recent years, but officials say lessons learned have improved preparedness. The swift response to the Doma outbreak earlier in 2025 demonstrated that rapid intervention and strong surveillance can effectively contain the disease with community cooperation.
Dr. Gwamna noted that integrating Measles-Rubella vaccines into routine immunisation will significantly reduce future outbreaks.
“We no longer want to wait for emergencies before acting. The MR vaccine is now part of the regular immunisation schedule, which means every child born in Nasarawa will be protected if parents comply,” he explained.
At the Akwanga Primary Health Centre, a mother of three, Mrs. Laraba Alaku, expressed gratitude for the campaign.
“I brought my children because I don’t want them to suffer from diseases I cannot afford to treat. I am happy the governor remembered us here in Akwanga,” she said.
Another parent, Mr. Musa Ahmed from Wamba LGA, said the campaign has boosted trust in the health system.
“Before now, some of us didn’t believe these vaccines were safe. But now we see the government and partners vaccinating our children in front of us, and that gives us confidence,” he said.
To ensure accountability, the state has set up monitoring teams comprising officials from the Ministry of Health, the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, WHO, UNICEF, and civil society organisations. Post-campaign data will be analysed to identify missed communities and guide follow-up interventions.
The Measles-Rubella-Polio campaign in Nasarawa is part of Nigeria’s national drive to eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases by 2030. Nationwide, over 100 million children are expected to be vaccinated during this campaign cycle.
Governor Sule’s launch of the MR campaign in Akwanga sends a clear message of hope: no child in Nasarawa should die or suffer from a preventable disease. The success of the campaign will depend on the collective efforts of government, partners, health workers, traditional leaders, and, most importantly, parents.
As Governor Sule declared:
“Together, we can eliminate measles and rubella from Nasarawa State. Our children deserve a future free from preventable diseases. Let us do this for them and for the generations to come.”
