The Kwara government will launch the integrated polio-measles-rubella vaccine campaign from October 11 to October 20 across the state’s 16 local government areas.

The executive secretary of the Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Nusirat Elelu, stated this on Friday in Ilorin, while speaking at a media dialogue on integrated measles-rubella vaccine introduction and the polio campaign.

Ms Elelu, represented by Michael Oguntoye, the director of the primary healthcare system in the Ministry of Health, described the media as playing a crucial role in vaccination campaigns in Kwara.

She therefore appealed to the media to always verify their information from credible news sources to avoid any misinformation.

Also speaking, Sarat Yunus, the state immunisation officer, described measles as a highly infectious viral disease characterised by fever, maculopapular rash, cough, conjunctivitis, and coryza (runny nose).

She stated that the disease could lead to severe complications like pneumonia, encephalitis, and death, especially in young children and immunocompromised individuals.

The officer explained that rubella is also known as German measles and typically causes a mild measles-like illness in children and adults.

“Rubella infection in early pregnancy can result in severe birth defects known as Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS).

“Between 2019 and 2024, Nigeria reported a total of 94,305 confirmed measles cases with 719 deaths, reflecting a case fatality rate of approximately 0.76 per cent,” she said.

Ms Yunus added that the North-East region recorded the highest number of confirmed measles cases in the country.

The immunisation officer emphasised the importance of vaccination in preventing these diseases and safeguarding the lives of children.

In his remarks, Usman Danlami, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) representative, charged the media to help disseminate the need for wider coverage in vaccinating children across Kwara.

In his presentation, Ibrahim Mohammad, a social behaviour specialist at UNICEF, explained that the country has made remarkable progress in the fight against preventable diseases.

“We all stood tall as Nigeria was declared free of wild poliovirus, united by a single mission: to protect our children and communities from preventable diseases through vaccination.

“With the introduction of the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine, we now have an additional, powerful tool to stop both of these diseases and protect generations yet unborn,” he said.

Mr Mohammed said this historic step was possible through the leadership of the government at all levels, with strong support from UNICEF, the World Health Organisation (WHO), Gavi, and partners.

He called for a collective action to end the transmission of poliovirus by 2025.

Mr Mohammad observed that measles outbreaks still claim young lives, while rubella continues to threaten unborn children, and there is a continuing spread of the variant poliovirus in the country.

He therefore tasks the media with amplifying accurate information so that parents know vaccines are safe, effective, and provided at no additional charge by governments.

(NAN)