Abuja to begin measles-rubella vaccination, others on Wednesday

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Board (FPHCB) says it will begin an integrated vaccination exercise on Wednesday, October 8, aimed at tackling measles rubella and other vaccine-preventable diseases among children in the nation’s capital.

The campaign, which targets children aged 9 months to 14 years, will also feature Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) for children aged 0–59 months, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine for nine-year-old girls, and routine immunisation for children aged 0–23 months.

Speaking ahead of the rollout, Dr. Ruquayya Wamakko, Executive Secretary of the FPHCB, said the exercise is part of efforts to strengthen disease prevention and reduce pressure on FCT health facilities.

“All eyes are on the FCTA on what it will do to fight measles rubella, and the media must help project the vaccination exercise to ensure turnout,” Wamakko said.

“When we prevent these diseases at the community level, there will be less crowding in FCT health facilities.”

She urged media organisations to help raise awareness, especially among residents in hard-to-reach communities, to ensure that eligible children receive the vaccines.

Tanko Chadwafwa, FCT Routine Immunisation Officer, described measles as a highly contagious viral disease that can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, and even death, particularly among children and individuals with weakened immune systems.

He said the 2025/2026 integrated Measles Rubella campaign aims to close existing immunisation gaps and strengthen disease surveillance.

“The goal is to reduce measles and rubella incidence to five cases per million by 2026, and one case per million by 2030,” Chadwafwa said.

“We are also targeting 95 per cent post-campaign vaccination coverage for children aged 9 months to 14 years across all implementing states.”

He added that the campaign will help improve immunisation system performance and ensure early detection and response to potential outbreaks.

Mrs. Chinyere Umeh, Deputy Director of Health Education at the FPHCB, outlined the operational plan for the six area councils in the FCT. According to her, 26 team members will cover Abaji (population 58,028), 104 in Bwari (386,906), 72 in Gwagwalada (200,519), 46 in Kuje (103,780), 39 in Kwali (114,774), and 365 in the Municipal Area Council (722,007).

“Vaccination officers will be visiting schools to ensure that all eligible children are captured during the exercise,” she said.

The FPHCB urged residents to take advantage of the campaign to protect children from preventable diseases and contribute to the FCT’s broader public health goals.