No fewer than three million children aged between nine months and 14 years are expected to be vaccinated across all 20 Local Government Areas of Ogun State as the state government officially flagged off the Measlerubella (MR) Vaccination Campaign in Abeokuta on Tuesday.

The week-long integrated campaign will run until February 5, 2026.

Speaking on the initiative,  Ogun State First Lady, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun noted that statistics underscored the urgency of the campaign, adding that global and local data showed that measles and rubella remain among the leading causes of preventable childhood illness and death, especially in regions with low immunisation coverage.

Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, noted that although global measles deaths have dropped by 88 per cent since the year 2000, the disease still claimed an estimated 95,000 lives last year, mostly children under the age of five.

She also  described the campaign as a decisive response to alarming child health statistics, stressing that measles and rubella are not minor childhood illnesses but diseases that can lead to pneumonia, brain damage, blindness, deafness, and in the case of rubella, miscarriage, stillbirth and Congenital Rubella Syndrome.

She said “Sadly, about 80 per cent of these deaths occurred in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. These are preventable conditions, yet they continue to threaten the lives and wellbeing of our children where vaccination coverage is inadequate.

“This gathering is a declaration of our collective resolve to say ‘No More’ to diseases that steal the future of our sons and daughters. The MR vaccine remains “one of the safest, most effective and affordable public health interventions available.”

She disclosed that the campaign is projected to reach approximately three million children statewide, warning parents not to allow fear or misinformation to undermine immunisation efforts.

In her remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, placed the campaign within a national statistical framework, explaining that the Federal Government, through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), approved the introduction of the MR vaccine into Nigeria’s Routine Immunisation Schedule following persistent measles-rubella disease burden.

Dr Coker disclosed that Ogun State alone is targeting the vaccination of over 2.9 million eligible children during the campaign scheduled to run from January 27 to February 5, 2026.

According to her, the statistics-driven objectives of the campaign include reducing childhood morbidity and mortality, preventing Congenital Rubella Syndrome in newborns, and strengthening disease surveillance and routine immunisation systems across the state.

She said “Measlesrubella remains one of the leading causes of childhood mortality globally and poses severe risks to pregnant women, often resulting in lifelong complications for the unborn child,” she said.

“The Measlesrubella Vaccination Campaign aligns perfectly with our vision of ensuring that no child is left behind in the fight against vaccine-preventable diseases”.

Speaking on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO), Laura Niclochlainn, aluded  the effort of the State government for extensive preparation towards the programme.

Niclochlainn disclosed that Ogun state measles-rubella campaign is the largest in the entire world, stressing that over One hundred Million children have been vaccine in Nigeria. 

“At a global level, we developed strategies and policies and surveying to see how countries are doing globally to eliminate measles-rubella and it is so exciting to see that Nigeria  is using this vaccine. Let's keep the coverage high. 

“We have to make sure that all the children receive the vaccine. Prevention is better than cure. We have seen Ogun and this is the largest campaign in the world. Over a hundred hundred million have been vaccinated in  Nigeria. All eyes are on Nigeria. What you are doing is incredible. 

In his closing remark, the Executive Secretary, Ogun State Primary HealthCare Development Board, Dr Elijah Ogunsola appreciated the partners, while encouraging concern parents across the state present their children for the vaccination.