Lions Club District 404 Kicks Off National Measles Immunisation Campaign

Lions Clubs International, Multiple District 404, Nigeria is set to participate in the 2018 National Measles Immunisation programme in Nigeria through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in the Southern part of Nigeria.

Having participated in four previous campaigns in the country, Lions in Nigeria will be going into this year’s campaign with a lot of experience garnered over the years in the areas of advocacy and social mobilisation.

Lion’s advocacy involves taking the message of measles campaign to stakeholders such as Community Leaders, Traditional Rulers, Local Government Chairpersons, Ministries of Health, State Governors as well as National Primary Health Care Development agencies at Federal and State levels.

In addition, jingles on radio stations as well as appearances on television stations will be undertaken to sensitise members of the public of their roles during the period set aside for immunisation country wide.

According to the project chairperson of this year’s campaign committee, Dr. Yinka Griffin, the social mobilisation aims at encouraging mothers and guardians to get their children and wards immunise became imperative to guide against the dreaded measles disease.

This exercise, he said, is done by undertaking road shows in major cities and localities using mobilisation tools such as whistles, music bands, flyers, banners, balloons and exercise books.

Funded by Lions Clubs International Foundation, the charity arm of Lions Clubs International, this year, Lions will be actively involved in the campaign when measles vaccination exercise will take place in Kwara state and the 17 states in Southern Nigeria from March 1 to 5, 8 to 12, 15 to 20 and 22 to 27, 2018. Material supports have been made to NPHCDA when the exercise was carried out in the northern part of the country.

It is expected that over 4,000 Lions will participate in this year’s campaign. These Lions have been retrained in the rudiments of advocacy and social mobilisation for effective and efficient campaigns.