Measles is highly contagious and is one of the endemic diseases in Nigeria. It affects all age groups but, the most is the group between zero to five years. Though, preventable through vaccine against outbreak of the disease, measles infection can also be controlled.
Measles and Rubella are serious diseases with adverse effects, especially on children.
Measles can lead to severe complications like brain swelling, fever, rashes and pneumonia. In some cases, it can lead to death.
While Rubella poses significant risks, including birth defects when contracted during pregnancy, the MR vaccine offers effective solutions to prevent these diseases and protect infants and children.
The introduction of the MR vaccine in Nigeria is pivotal and requires unlimited advocacy, community engagement, not leaving out government backing. This is to ensure that every child, especially in rural communities, receives intervention.
At a Stakeholders’ Meeting on the Introduction of the Measles-Rubella (MR) Vaccine in Nigeria, organised by the Centre for Well-being & Integrated Nutrition Solutions (C-WINS), in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, were experts in the health sector who gave varying views of the disease.
The objective of the stakeholders engagement aims at creating a common understanding of what measles rubella advocacy project entails. Other objectives include forging a robust engagement of key stakeholders, clarifying assigned deliverables of grantees, sharing and joint review of work plans identifying specific activities requiring collaboration or implementation, presentation on funds disbursement procedures, and establishing schedules for consultative meetings.
Lukman Ismaila from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) said annually, not less than ten thousand cases of measles are reported. Therefore, the need “to rise and prevent the continuous outbreak” of the disease in the country is imperative.
He said the best and affordable way for measles prevention is by ensuring that everyone takes the vaccine.
“That is why this project is important. What we are saying is to take the campaign to the community level and ensure that everyone is aware of what measles entails, and aware of the importance of taking the vaccine, he said while speaking with newsmen.
“At the NCDC, we consider ourselves to be part of this project, so that everyone will be aware of measles infection and vaccination. They can present themselves when the time for mass campaign begins”, he stated.
While making his presentation at the engagement, he revealed that the outbreak of measles differs across regions in the country, with some facing more of it than the other. The factor responsible for this, he stated is vaccine acceptance.
However, he enumerated that there are lots of interventions provided by the NCDC.One of such interventions he said is to ensure that all public officials in the country, from the federal to local communities, must have the skill and capacity to respond to measles outbreak.
“We are training and retraining public officials at the national, state and local government levels, to make sure that once the outbreak occurs in their communities, they are able to to control it.
“Even before the outbreak, they should know what they need to put together and prevent the outbreak”, he stated.
Medical doctor and public health development worker, Dr Nihilola Mabogunje said the project revolves around advocacy for measles and rubella vaccine, also, for the rubella component to be added to measles vaccine.
Inspired by the understanding that many are yet to know what rubella is and the effects it has on mothers and unborn babies, she said a situation where no child will be left behind, irrespective of location, must be imbibed. “No child must be left unvaccinated”, she stressed.
On call for action, she emphasised on total adherence to vaccination.”Vaccine must be routinized. Mothers should go to the facilities and get their children vaccinated at the appropriate time”, Dr. Mabogunje posited.
Barr. Hauwa, representing Wives of Nigeria Governors also emphasized on sensitising local communities on the need for parents and mothers to immunize their children against measles and rubella infection. She added that traditional leaders should be engaged, including wives of local government chairmen, to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated.
Dr. Mohammed Leke spoke on role of the Nigerian Health Sector Reform Coalition (NHSRO). Being the Chairman of the coalition that constitutes major CSOs and NGOs in the health sector, and other professional health associations, he said the body is a perfect fit for the project.
According to him, with members and affiliates across the country, provides a viable option on which the project can build its advocacy to ensure that the MR vaccine is an uptake, by the last quarter of 2025.
Dr. Kenneth Onome Adagba, a consultant and public health physician, with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, stressed that ministry is fully involved with the project.
He stated that the Coordinating Minister, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate has ensured that all that is required for the initiative to be implemented is put in place. He added that the Ministry is working with the NCDC to ensure that outbreak of measles is prevented or attended to.