The Ogun State government has announced an ambitious plan to vaccinate over 1 million children in its 2024 measles vaccination campaign. This initiative aims to immunize children aged between 9 months and 5 years across all 20 local government areas of the state. To make this possible, the state will deploy more than 5,000 health workers during the week-long campaign from October 19 to October 25, 2024.
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects children. It can cause severe complications such as blindness, brain damage, pneumonia, and, in extreme cases, death. Dr. Tomi Coker, Ogun State’s Commissioner for Health, emphasized the critical role that vaccination plays in preventing these life-threatening complications.
Unvaccinated children are particularly vulnerable. Measles can lead to high fever that triggers seizures or causes permanent deformities. While the disease is preventable with vaccines, outbreaks still occur when immunization coverage is low. This is why Ogun State’s 2024 campaign is so important—it seeks to protect children who might otherwise be at risk of contracting the disease.
Ogun State has made significant strides in controlling measles through its vaccination programs. According to Dr. Coker, the state’s previous measles campaign in 2022 played a key role in dramatically reducing the number of confirmed cases. In October 2022, there were 118 confirmed cases of measles in the state. Thanks to increased vaccination efforts, this number dropped to just 15 by October 2024. The state has also made progress in combating yellow fever, reducing the number of cases from 3 in 2022 to zero in 2024.
The 2024 measles vaccination campaign aims to immunize 1,136,953 children across Ogun State. Vaccination centers will be set up in all 20 local government areas, and will include government health facilities (primary, secondary, and tertiary hospitals), as well as temporary sites in churches, mosques, schools, markets, parks, and garages. The state’s 236 wards will have designated immunization centers to ensure easy access for all families.
The official launch of the campaign is scheduled for Friday, October 18, 2024, at Saint Peters Anglican Primary School in Siun, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area. The ceremony will kick off the seven-day vaccination drive, with health workers stationed across various sites throughout the state to administer the vaccine.
Dr. Coker reassured parents and caregivers that the measles vaccine is completely safe and free of charge. She urged them to bring their children to the nearest vaccination center, noting that this is a vital opportunity to protect their kids from a preventable disease.
“Parents and caregivers should take advantage of this free initiative to get their children vaccinated against measles. This is a killer disease that can be easily prevented with a vaccine that is safe, effective, and available at no cost,” she said.
Ogun State’s government is committed to improving public health and reducing the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles. The 2024 measles vaccination campaign is part of a broader public health strategy to increase immunization coverage and prevent outbreaks.
The state government has partnered with several local and international health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), to ensure that the campaign reaches as many children as possible. By providing accessible and free vaccines, the government aims to eliminate the threat of measles and other preventable diseases among children.
