Dr Phillip Emeka Ovuoba, Executive Secretary of Ebonyi State Primary Health Care Development Agency.
By Agatha Nwogbaga
Nigeria has commenced Phase Two of the nationwide Measles–Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign, one of the largest immunisation exercises in Africa targeting more than 102 million children across the country.
In Ebonyi State, about 1.6 million children aged nine months to 14 years are expected to be vaccinated during the exercise, scheduled to run from February 4 to February 14, 2026.
Speaking at a one-day media sensitisation meeting on the campaign in Abakaliki, the Executive Secretary of the Ebonyi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EBSPHCDA), Dr Phillip Emeka Ovuoba, described the media as critical partners in ensuring the success of the exercise.
According to him, the campaign is designed to ensure that no eligible child is missed, particularly those in hard-to-reach and rural communities.
“Information is power, and the media is the custodian of information in society.
"That is why we have engaged you to help us take this message to every corner of Ebonyi State so that no eligible child is left out of this campaign,” Ovuoba said.
He stressed that the state is fully prepared for the vaccination exercise and urged parents, caregivers, schools and religious institutions to cooperate with health officials as vaccination teams are deployed across communities.
Addressing concerns and misconceptions surrounding immunisation, Ovuoba said resistance to vaccination had significantly declined in the state, attributing the progress to sustained advocacy and the state government’s commitment to healthcare delivery.
“The era when people rejected vaccines is gone. Today, people understand that vaccination is a right, not a privilege. No church or school is rejecting this exercise; what we are doing is engaging everyone to ensure access to children wherever they are found,” he said.
He further assured parents that the MR vaccine is safe, effective and free of charge, noting that it is being funded by the Ebonyi State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government and development partners.
“This vaccine comes at no cost and has no serious complications. Parents should bring out their children so we can prevent diseases that cause deformities, blindness, deafness and even death,” he added.
Earlier, a Social Behavioural Change and Health Consultant with UNICEF, Mr Frank Nwodika, provided an overview of measles and rubella, describing measles as a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease, while rubella though often mild poses serious risks to unborn babies when contracted during pregnancy.
Nwodika explained that rubella infection in pregnant women could result in Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS), leading to severe birth defects such as blindness, deafness, heart defects and brain damage.
He said the Measles–Rubella vaccine is a safe, live-attenuated vaccine that stimulates the body’s immune response without causing the disease.
“Vaccinating children helps to break the chain of transmission and protects pregnant women and the wider community,” he said.
Nwodika added that the vaccine would be administered at public health facilities and temporary vaccination posts by trained and licensed healthcare workers, with systems in place to manage any minor adverse events following immunisation.
The MR campaign forms part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to eliminate measles and rubella and prevent congenital rubella syndrome nationwide. While Phase One was implemented in parts of northern Nigeria, Phase Two is focused largely on southern states.
Health authorities urged parents, community leaders, religious institutions and the media to support the campaign to ensure maximum coverage and protect children from preventable diseases.
