The United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF) on Thursday urged parents to ensure their children take the measles vaccine, saying the disease kills more children than other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Uju Eze, strategic behaviour communication consultant at UNICEF, said this at a stakeholders engagement/town hall meeting for the 2024 Integrated Supplementary Immunisation Activities (SIAs) in Awka, Anambra State capital.

The Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA) organised the town hall in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO, CHAI and AFENET.

Ms Eze said, “Measles disease caused by the measles virus is highly infectious. It kills more children than any other vaccine-preventable disease, and over 17,000 measles cases are reported yearly in Nigeria.

“Measles affects all ages and sexes, but about 70 per cent of measles cases affect mostly children less than a year old, and this results from low levels of routine immunisation coverage.”

She emphasised the need to vaccinate children to protect them from the disease.

Josephine Erugo of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency said the federal government was implementing supplementary immunisation activities in 26 states to meet the global eradication target.

In her address, Chisom Uchem, executive secretary, ASPHCDA, said Anambra was ready to implement the measles vaccination and needed to carry all relevant stakeholders along in the process.

Also, Uju Onwuegbuzina, state health educator, ASPHCDA, said the measles vaccination would start on October 12 and end on October 18 in all health facilities, designated fixed and mobile posts in communities, churches, schools and markets.

Ms Onwuegbuzina said the measles vaccination was targeted at children from nine to 59 months of age.

(NAN)