In its determination to ensure that citizens of Ogun State, including children and adults, stay healthy and free from Measles and Yellow Fever outbreaks, the Ogun State Government in collaboration with United Nations children's Fund (UNICEF) would Embark on Mass Vaccination Campaign against the diseases from Friday 17th June to Friday 8th July, 2022.

This was made known during the State Social Mobilization and Technical Working Group meeting of UNICEF-Assisted Programme of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, held at Governor's press center, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.

The  Health Educator from the State Primary Health Care Development Board, Alhaji Elegbede Waheed while speaking on the exercise said it was necessitated due to continuous reportage of the outbreak of Measles and Yellow Fever across all the States of the Federation including previously non-high risk States.

He explained that, the continuous outbreak was associated with increased population mobility and human encroachment into forested areas.

According to him, over 160 million people were at the risk of contacting Yellow Fever in Nigeria while children under the age of 5 years were more vulnerable to contract measles.

Mr Elegbede explained  that, the move to eliminate Yellow Fever was launched in 2018 with the goal to end it by 2026 adding that the implementation was done in batches and Ogun State with other six states were to commence the campaign in June.

According to him, the implementation of the vaccination would be at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Health Institutions, public and private schools, mosques, motor parks, markets and hard to reach communities.

He pointed out that the vaccination exercise would not be limited to Yellow Fever and Measles but encouraged those that have not received the covid-19 vaccine to take advantage of the opportunity available for them to be vaccinated.

Elegbede said the vaccinations were free, safe and effective, saying that Measles vaccine would be administered for children between 9 to 59 months, Yellow Fever vaccine would be between 9 months and 44years of age while Covid-19 would be for adults from 18 years.

While encouraging mothers, caregivers, children and everyone within the target age groups to visit the nearest health facilities or designated places for the free vaccination, he advised them to keep the vaccination card given after the immunization for post campaign survey and future use.