Measles: Nasarawa Experts Urge Residents To Vaccinate Children Against Virus

Measles: Nasarawa Experts Urge Residents To Vaccinate Children Against Virus Nasarawa State health experts have advised residents in the state to vaccinate their children against the contagious disease called Measles Rubella as part of the forthcoming vaccination exercise that the Federal Government is implementing.

They also explained that rubella is a mild but contagious disease caused by the rubella virus.

Speaking while declaring open the media orientation on the measles rubella campaign, Dr Usman Iskilu-Saleh, Executive Secretary ES of the Agency, said the meeting was geared towards providing journalists with the right information on the Measles Rubella MR vaccine for onward dissemination to members of the public.

Iskilu-Saleh, represented by Mr Ismaila Oko, Director of Immunisation at the Agency, noted that misinformation had been the challenge of vaccine uptake, hence the need for the media engagement.

The Executive Secretary stated that the MR vaccine was developed as a single vaccine to protect children against Measles and Rubella diseases.

He said that the vaccine would be officially launched on Oct. 4, and would be administered to children from nine months to 14 years at designated public health facilities.

According to Iskilu-Salah, after the Oct. 4 to Oct. 14, vaccination campaign, the Measles-Rubella vaccine will be incorporated into the routine immunisation exercise.

Dr Kayode Olawuyi, A Consultant on the Measles-Rubella vaccine campaign, said that the vaccine was developed to safeguard children against measles and rubella, highly contagious viral diseases.

He explained that the vaccination campaign scheduled to be held between Oct. 4 to Oct. 14 was targeted at 104million children from nine months to 14 years.

Olawuyi said that the essence of the campaign was to achieve herd immunity through the vaccination exercise, adding that it would subsequently become part of routine immunisation.

"Children between nine months to 14 years are targeted for the campaign because they are more prone to catching and spreading the measles and rubella diseases. Vaccinating these groups helps protect the whole community," he said.

Dr. Kayode noted that measles and rubella are different viruses that manifest similar symptoms, except that rubella presents mild symptoms.

He added that the MR vaccine is safe and effective in protecting against both measles and rubella.

Also, Hajiya Hassana Ibrahim, State Technical Assistant, World Health Organisation WHO said the MR vaccine would reduce outbreaks and protect vulnerable people, especially children and pregnant women.

Ibrahim said the MR vaccine is an injection that would be administered in the upper left arm of the children, free of charge, irrespective of past vaccination.