In an unprecedented humanitarian intervention, the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Lagos State Branch, has deployed 5,346 trained volunteers across Lagos State to drive massive awareness ahead of the Measles–Rubella (MR) vaccination exercise scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
The large-scale deployment marks the commencement of an intensive house-to-house Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) social mobilisation campaign.
The scheme is aimed at ensuring that no eligible child is left behind in the fight against measles and rubella—two highly contagious but preventable childhood diseases.
The intervention, jointly funded by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Red Cross, is being implemented in partnership with the Nigerian Red Cross Society to support government health authorities to strengthen vaccination uptake and address vaccine hesitancy at the community.
The commencement of the RCCE campaign follows one week of intensive step-down training conducted across all 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Lagos State from Monday January 19 to Friday January 23.
The training was facilitated by local government representatives and Red Cross supervisors who had undergone a comprehensive Training of Trainers (ToT) course on the interpersonal communication and counseling, code of conduct etc, ensuring similar messages is being passed across the state, and effective knowledge transfer across all Divisions.
During the training, volunteers were equipped with critical information and skills required for effective social mobilisation, including a thorough understanding of the Red Cross Code of Conduct, humanitarian principles, and ethical community engagement.
They were also trained on key Measles–Rubella messages covering vaccine safety, benefits, eligibility, and campaign timelines, as well as the use of data collection and reporting tools.
These core messages will be taken into communities during the campaign, with each volunteer assigned a daily target of reaching at least 50 households through direct, face-to-face engagement with caregivers and parents.
Although the Lagos State Government plans to conduct the MR vaccination exercise for 10 days from Tuesday January 27 to Thursday February 5, 2026, the Nigerian Red Cross has extended its social mobilisation beyond the vaccination window.
The Society will run a 10-day pre- and intra-campaign house-to-house mobilisation from Sunday, January 25 to Tuesday, February 3, 2026, followed by a two-day mop-up operation on Friday, February 6 and Saturday, February 7.
This brings the total RCCE intervention to 12 days of strategically planned community engagement designed to generate early demand, sustain awareness and follow up with caregivers.
A total of 5,343 community-based volunteers and supervisors are being deployed across all 20 LGAs of Lagos State, supported by 40 trained Divisional Secretaries and Data Officers who will oversee daily field operations, supervision, and reporting. The volunteers, drawn from the communities they serve, will communicate in local languages to ensure trust-building, cultural sensitivity, and effective message delivery.
Speaking during monitoring visits to volunteer trainings in Agege, Mushin and Ikorodu LGAs, the Lagos State Branch Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Mr. Olakunle Lasisi, said the level of preparedness observed at the grassroots gives confidence in the success of the campaign.
According to him, the volunteers demonstrated a clear understanding of their responsibilities and were well positioned to engage households with accurate information on the Measles–Rubella vaccine.
He added that cases of vaccine refusal encountered during house-to-house visits would be properly documented and escalated to Health Educators and Local Immunisation Officers for targeted follow-up.
Also speaking during visits to volunteer training in Badagry and Surulere LGAs, the Chairman of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Lagos State Branch, Dr (Mrs) Victoria Adebola Kolawole, commended the discipline, enthusiasm, and commitment displayed by volunteers.
She described the volunteers as trusted voices within their communities and expressed confidence that their engagement would significantly improve caregivers’ understanding of the importance of vaccinating their children.
She stressed that sustained collaboration with government health authorities remains key to achieving improved public health outcomes.
During a field visit to volunteer training in Ikorodu and Alimosho LGAs, Dr. Ahmad Abdul Majid of the NRCS National Headquarters described the Lagos intervention as a strong model for community-led vaccination support.
He noted that the quality of training and coordination observed on the field demonstrated that the volunteers were well equipped to support government vaccination efforts.
He reiterated that the Measles–Rubella vaccine is safe, effective, and essential for protecting children from preventable diseases, adding that a similar RCCE intervention is currently ongoing in Bayelsa State, where over 3,000+ Red Cross volunteers are supporting vaccination efforts across the state’s eight LGAs.
With 5000+ volunteers trained and deployed across urban, peri-urban, and riverine communities, the Nigerian Red Cross Society is once again demonstrating its commitment to saving lives, strengthening communities and ensuring that every child counts as Lagos prepares for the Measles–Rubella vaccination exercise.
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