𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐮𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐲, 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝟎 𝐭𝐨 𝟏𝟒

By Peter Dansu  Badagry Local Government has officially commenced the Measles Rubella vaccination campaign, marking a renewed push to protec...

By Peter Dansu 

Badagry Local Government has officially commenced the Measles Rubella vaccination campaign, marking a renewed push to protect children across the council area from two highly preventable but potentially deadly diseases.

The campaign was flagged off at the council chamber by the Executive Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Hon. Babatunde Hunpe, fMHR, in the presence of officials from the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Lagos State Health District V, development partners including WHO UNICEF and AFENET, as well as community youth and religious leaders and frontline health workers.

Addressing the gathering, Hon. Hunpe apologised on behalf of the First Lady of the council, Chief Mrs. Elizabeth Hunpe, who was absent due to other pressing engagements. He described the vaccination exercise as a critical public health intervention aimed at safeguarding children between the ages of 0 and 14 years against measles and rubella.

According to him, the campaign is targeting at least 95 per cent coverage across all wards in Badagry to ensure that no eligible child is left out, regardless of location or social background. He stressed that healthy children remain the bedrock of a healthy and productive society.

The council chairman assured residents of the full commitment of the local government to the success of the campaign through effective coordination supervision and sustained community engagement. He commended the Lagos State Government the Primary Health Care Board Health District V and partner agencies for their technical and logistical support while praising health workers and field teams for their readiness to reach communities schools markets and worship centres.

Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Health District V, Dr. Oladapo Asiyanbi, the Director of Medical Services and Disease Control, Dr. Ahmad Amina Bello, highlighted the grave danger of rubella infection especially during pregnancy. She warned that rubella can lead to Congenital Rubella Syndrome which causes lifelong disabilities such as deafness blindness and heart defects.

Dr. Bello disclosed that about 10,000 children were born with Congenital Rubella Syndrome in Nigeria in 2024 representing almost one third of the global burden. She also revealed that 77 deaths were recorded from measles out of 9,821 confirmed cases within the same period.

She explained that measles and rubella often present with similar symptoms and that many children tested for measles are either co infected with rubella or affected by rubella alone. This she said makes the combined Measles Rubella vaccine a vital and lifesaving public health intervention.

Hon. Hunpe called on community and religious leaders teachers parents and caregivers to fully support the campaign by cooperating with vaccination teams encouraging the presentation of eligible children and helping to counter misinformation. He assured residents that the vaccines are safe free effective and lifesaving while also stressing the need for accountability professionalism and transparency among all personnel involved in the exercise.

The event climaxed with the formal flag off of the campaign signalling the start of vaccination activities across Badagry Local Government.

Dignitaries at the event included the Vice Chairman Hon. Akeem Adeyemi councillors led by the Deputy Leader Hon. Pedekun Gbetoyon Mathew the Council Manager Mrs. Olusanya Mary Abosede students and pupils from public and primary schools as well as nursing mothers and children drawn from across the local government.