The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is launching a vaccination initiative to immunize five million children against measles and other preventable diseases in Edo state and other South-West states of Nigeria.
This campaign is part of the 2024 Integrated Supplemental Immunisation Activities which will commence on October 5 and will cover Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, and Edo states.
Aderonke Akinola-Adewole, a Social Behavioural Change Expert at UNICEF, emphasized the importance of parental involvement in this initiative.
During a recent media orientation in Oyo, she urged parents to ensure their children receive vaccinations throughout the week-long campaign.
Akinola-Adewole highlighted the critical role of vaccines in eradicating diseases such as polio, measles, yellow fever, and human papillomavirus (HPV).
She stated, “Vaccines have proven effective in eradicating public health diseases like smallpox. Why would we want our children to remain unprotected?”
She also addressed prevalent myths surrounding vaccinations, asserting that they are safe, effective, and free. Akinola-Adewole called on media professionals to assist in disseminating accurate information about vaccine safety to combat misinformation.
The upcoming immunization activities will not only target measles but also aim to strengthen routine immunization efforts for children under two years old who may have missed previous vaccinations.
The measles vaccination is specifically for children aged nine months to 59 months, while routine immunizations will cater to those aged 0 to 23 months.
Akinola-Adewole noted the ambitious goal of reaching nearly five million children across the targeted states and stressed the need for broad stakeholder support to achieve this objective.
She remarked, “When you take your child to be vaccinated, you fulfill their right to survive,” emphasizing that vaccination is a fundamental responsibility for parents and community leaders alike.
