The Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency, ( EKSPHCDA) in partnership with UNICEF, WHO and other relevant partners, have commenced the measles rubella vaccination for children between the age of 9 months to 14 years in the state.
The flag off ceremony for the event which took place recently at the Primary Health Care Centre in Okeyinmi, Ado Ekiti marked the official take off of the 10 days vaccination exercise targeted at ensuring that over one million children in the state are vaccinated.
Speaking during his opening remark at the flag off, the Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Rasheed Adepoju said Measles- Rubella vaccine is a new vaccine in Nigeria which was introduced into the country sometime around October/November last year in the northern part of the country and Oyo State.
He stated further that before now, we have been using what is called measles vaccine but this twin vaccine will fight both measles and rubella.
The Executive Secretary said, “We are flagging off the commencement of the administration of measles rubella vaccine in the state. Our target is about one million two hundred ((1.2 Million) Children in the state from age 9 months to 14 years and the duration of the time is between January 27th to February 5th, 2026.
“My expectation from the parents based on our previous performances and what we have done so far through our advocacy and mobilisation programmes which was started since April last year by the wife of the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, is total compliance from the people.
“Moreover, our team have combed all the nooks and crannies of Ekiti State to sensitize all the Communities, the mothers, the parents, our religious leaders, traditional leaders and school proprietors, so, I am expecting a full and highly accepted campaign from our people.”
Dr Adepoju implored the parents, caregivers and the Community leaders to allow their children to take this vaccine saying, age 9 months and 14 years will be eligible to take the vaccine at introduction and after the 5th or 7th of february, any child above or up to two years will not be allowed or eligible to take the vaccine. “But for the period of 10 to 12 days, children up to 14 years will be eligible and they should take the advantage to get their children vaccinated.” He said.
While speaking on the issue of security, Dr Adepoju said they have mapped out the areas that have security challenges and when going there, they will go with the security personnel who will support the health workers to ensure they get every community vaccinated in Ekiti State.
While declaring the exercise opened, the Chairman, Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EKSPHCDA) in the state, Dr Funke Ogunbunmi said the mission of the agency and the state government is to achieve high population immunity, to prevent future outbreak and to protect the children and most vulnerable in the society.
Ogunbunmi called on parents and members of the community to support the health workers saying, they cannot do the job alone but with the full cooperation of the Community members the desired result will be achieved.
The Chairman said, “children between the ages of 9 months and 14 years are very vulnerable to these infectious diseases and to prevent future outbreak in Ekiti State, to protect these children and for the state to have high population immunity because a healthy state is a wealthy state and a wealthy state is a healthy state which is free of diseases, these children need to be frequently vaccinated.”
Dr Ogunbunmi adviced parents and care givers to come out en masse to take the immunization because it is free and effective. She also adviced the religious leaders and community leaders to encourage their subjects and the people in the community to bring out their children to participate in the exercise.
She said people should not run away when they see the health workers but rather appreciate them and take vaccine. She noted that the target of the agency is to immunize about 95 percent of children in the state or more. “We are doing this not just because we want to launch a campaign, we are doing it because it is an investment in the next generation.” She concluded.
The permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mrs Olusola Gbenga – igotun who represented the state commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani said there is this German measles called rubella which is highly infectious and there is need that our children are rightly protected from this preventable disease.
She said the measles rubella vaccine is a double or twin vaccine that has been tested and highly effective which can tackle both measles and rubella, so, by allowing your child to take this, you have automatically killed two birds with one stone and your child is in better form in the fight against measles and rubella.
The Permanent Secretary further said the campaign is for children between the ages of 9 months and 14 years which shows they have taken the measles vaccine and right now, they have the responsibility of taking rubella vaccine. She enjoined parents and members of the public to be part of the campaign by allowing their children to be vaccinated in other to ensure a save and disease free state.
The acting State Health Educator, Mrs Abimbola Daramola remarked that her team of Health Educators have carried out an extensive advocacy and sensitization activities across all the 16 local government and LCDA areas in the state. She said further that traditional rulers, religious leaders, school authorities, parent-teacher association, and education stakeholders have been engaged and properly educated in other to have an hitch free campaign in the state.
Daramola noted that after all the stakeholders in the state have endorsed and given their go ahead to commence the measles rubella campaign, she has no doubt that the programme will be a success.
Among dignitaries present at the flag off include, the EKSPHCDA board chairman, Dr Funke Ogunbunmi, the Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Rasheed Adepoju, representative of the commissioner for Health, Mrs Olusola Gbenga igotun, Permanent Secretary, Health Management Board, Dr Olasunkanmi Alabi, State Immunisation Officer, Mrs Omolabake Ogundola, representative of Ewi in Council, iya loja, representatives of the principal partners and host of others.
