The Ogun State Government will target over 1 million children between the ages of 9 and 59 months for vaccination against measles from October 19th to 25th across the 20 local government areas of the state.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, disclosed this at a news conference in Abeokuta during the launch of the 2024 Integrated Measles Campaign.
Coker noted that despite the availability of a safe and cost-effective vaccine, measles claimed approximately 136,000 lives globally in 2022, primarily among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under five years old.
She explained that the state vaccinated 1,047,150 children, representing 121.7 percent, against measles and 5,594,968 children and adults against yellow fever across the LGAs in 2022.
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The commissioner said the effort has led to a significant reduction in confirmed measles cases from 118 in October 2022 to 15 in October 2024, with zero confirmed yellow fever cases in the same period.
She added that no fewer than 5,000 health workers will be deployed for the seven-day vaccination exercise.
She urged parents, guardians, and religious leaders to take the children mentioned above to churches, mosques, markets, schools, parks, and garages, as well as to temporary fixed posts, to ensure they get vaccinated.
Meanwhile, the state government reaffirms its commitment to reducing measles cases and promoting public health through this campaign.