FG targets 33m children for measles vaccination nationwide

TO prevent measles as the country enters the peak of infection season, the Federal Government will today, begin the 2017/2018 National Measles Campaign in Kaduna.

The campaign, which would be inaugurated by the Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire and the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, plans to immunise 33 million Nigerian children aged between 59 months and nine years against measles by the end of the campaign.

Shuaib in a statement, yesterday, disclosed that the Federal Government targets 95 per cent coverage for the 2017/2018 campaign, as against the 84.5 per cent coverage achieved in 2015.

He explained that the measles vaccine would be administered on children at health centres, fixed health posts, Churches, mosques, motor parks, public places, schools and homes.

He said a phased and staggered timetable had been introduced as part of the efforts to ensure highest quality for effective measles campaign in the country.

He added that the Northwest Zone will conduct its own campaign from November 9 to 21, followed by the Northeast from November 30 to December 12, 2017, while the North Central campaign would run from February 1 to 20, 2018. States in the Southern part of the country would conduct their measles vaccination campaign from March 8 to 20, 2018.