The Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is set to vaccinate 1.1 million children against measles across the 25 local government areas of the state.

Abari Musa, the social and behavioural change consultant with UNICEF, disclosed this at a one-day media orientation for the forthcoming measles immunisation campaign in Minna on Monday.

He disclosed that the vaccination would be divided into two phases, with the first phase beginning from October 31 to November 7 and the second phase commencing from November 8 to 15.

Mr Musa said children from 9 to 59 months would be vaccinated against measles, adding that those across the 275 wards of the state would benefit from the programme.

“Children under five years and those who are not vaccinated are at high risk of contracting measles,” he said.

He added that immunisation teams would be deployed to schools to vaccinate children while some groups would be at designated health facilities or the district head and village head’s palace.

He added that during the vaccination, there would also be routine immunisation for measles, COVID-19 and birth registration.

Mr Musa said letters of notification would be sent to churches and mosques to inform them of the measles immunisation campaign for adequate participation of their members.

He added that it was essential to maintain high vaccination coverage to control vaccine-preventable diseases in schools and communities.

Mr Musa solicited the support of the media in helping to disseminate information to the general public, especially mothers, to ensure their children under five years got vaccinated to prevent them from contracting measles. 

(NAN)