.FG intensifies measles-rubella vaccination campaign to strengthen community immunity in Plateau
AKOR SYLVESTER, Abuja and DANIEL DAUDA, Jos
Africa has made progress in efforts to eradicating polio, with virus detections dropping by 54% in just one year, even as the World Health Organization (WHO) said the fight is far from being over.
WHO, in a message to mark this year’s World Polio Day, said: “We stand together to celebrate Africa’s progress towards a continent free of polio and renew our collective commitment to protecting every child”,.
The message presented by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Janabi, said this year’s theme End Polio: Every Child, Every Vaccine, Everywhere, reflects the urgency of reaching children in every corner of the continent.
According to WHO: “Between January and October 2025 alone, 15 countries reached nearly 200 million children through supplementary immunization campaigns. Also, 13 countries mounted synchronized vaccination rounds despite conflict and difficult terrain.
“In hotspot regions like the Horn of Africa, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia jointly vaccinated 18 million children in just two rounds, showing the strength of regional cooperation.
“Similarly, health ministers across the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel launched a coordinated campaign in April to protect 83 million children in border and high-risk communities.
“Despite the threats, the numbers are moving in the right direction: Africa reduced active type 2 poliovirus outbreaks from 24 countries in 2024 to 14 in 2025. Only two countries reported type 1 cases, while type 2 and type 3 detections also declined significantly”.
Janabi, in the message, hailed Madagascar’s recent announcement of the end of its variant poliovirus type 1 outbreak, calling it “proof that Africa can defeat polio wherever it emerges.”
He maintained that, the gains have been driven by strengthened surveillance and innovation: 11 WHO-supported labs upgraded genomic sequencing capacity; 6 labs began piloting advanced sequencing techniques; Uganda’s Sanger facility earned WHO accreditation; and 98% of African countries now conduct environmental surveillance through wastewater monitoring
According to him, more than 850,000 frontline workers are digitally paid through mobile-money platforms with 95% receiving payment within 10 days boosting transparency and campaign efficiency.
He said geospatial mapping tools are also helping teams reach children in nomadic and remote settlements long missed by routine systems.
Janabi cautioned that insecurity, declining routine immunization and vaccine hesitancy still threaten to reverse gains.
“To truly end polio, countries must sustain cross-border coordination, reach zero-dose children, expand surveillance and maintain high-quality outbreak response,” he noted.
He stressed that ending polio, means not only halting transmission but building resilient health systems that protect generations to come.
“As we observe World Polio Day 2025, let us renew our determination to reach every child, with every vaccine, everywhere and consign polio to history, forever,” he stated.
However, the nationwide vaccination campaign to protect Nigerian children against the airborne measles-rubella (MR) diseases has recorded a significant milestone as over 60% households avail their wards for the exercise.
The MR vaccination is the intervention by the Federal Government of Nigeria, Plateau State Government, and other development partners including UNICEF
A ten 12 days timeframe is slated for the ongoing exercise and mop up, targeting children between the ages of 9 months to 14 years respectively.
Daily champion who monitored the development on Thursday, day six of the exercise in some communities within Jos North local area, reports that the level of compliance is appreciable in some places while in some is not.
It was also gathered that some children who refused vaccination cite parental consent.
For instance, in Al-Iman private school, No 3 Dogon-Dutse road, Naraguta B ward, Jos North LGA the school housing over 2,000 students.
Rose Ayuba Dalyop, supervisor of team 101 confirmed that the school stood out as the best among the schools they visited so far.
“We haven’t had any challenges here. Al-Iman Private School has given us full compliance and support.
So far, we have visited three schools, and this one stands out for its total cooperation.”
However, the situation is not the same at Al-Hadhanat High School as the principal Mrs. Mary Emmanuel, expressed challenges faced in the past.
“Whenever health workers from the local government, healthcare centers, or UNICEF visited my school, I used to take things into my own hands by allowing children to be vaccinated without informing their parents first.
“That caused problems because some parents came to the school to challenge me, asking why I didn’t seek their permission before vaccinating their children.
I even received insults from some of them.
“After that experience, I took precautions. Now, whenever I receive a letter or notice about such an exercise, I first contact the parents before any vaccination takes place.
“Now things are much better. The community is more understanding. After creating awareness and explaining the importance of vaccination to children’s health, I now get very good cooperation at least 80 percent of the population participates”, the principal revealed.
Dr.Oluseyi Olusunde, UNICEF Nigeria Health Officer, who highlights the implications of measles-rubella, said measles and rubella are both dangerous viral diseases.
According to Olusunde, “Measles can cause severe complications such as pneumonia, brain damage, and even death.
Rubella, on the other hand, can lead to serious outcomes such as birth defects, miscarriage, and fertility issues, especially when contracted by pregnant women.
“That is why we are administering the combined Measles-Rubella vaccine to protect children and strengthen community immunity.
The target group for this campaign is children aged 9 months to 14 years.
“Alongside the MR vaccine, we are also administering the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). Nigeria has made great progress in eradicating polio and has been certified free of wild poliovirus transmission, but we must continue to boost immunity to prevent any resurgence.
“Our goal is to ensure that at least 90% of children in the state are vaccinated to achieve community protection.
“The campaign is covering all 17 local government areas and 325 wards across Plateau State. No ward will be left behind. Even in areas with security challenges, we are working with the military to conduct “hit-and-run” vaccination exercises to ensure every child is reached”, he mentioned.
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