WHO supports measles campaign targeting millions of children in northern Nigeria

More than 28 million children in northern Nigeria will be protected against measles and meningitis through an immunization campaign carried out by the authorities alongside international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO).

The campaign is being implemented by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and WHO, with the support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Despite the availability of a vaccine, measles continues to be a leading killer of children globally, according to WHO.

“The measles vaccine remains the most cost-effective preventive measure against measles and WHO is committed to supporting the Nigerian government in reaching every eligible child in the country with the needed vaccines irrespective of their location,” said Dr. Fiona Braka, the UN agency’s Team Lead of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).

WHO has trained over 44,000 health workers and is mobilizing over 17,000 vaccination teams to support the campaign, which will target children in 19 states across the north.

Nigeria has experienced repeated measles outbreaks in recent years due to low routine immunization coverage. The country also lies in the so-called “meningitis belt”, which stretches from Senegal to Ethiopia, where most of the world’s cases occur.

Gavi is funding the vaccines against measles and meningitis, as well as the operational costs for the campaign.

Overall, the organization has immunized more than 279 million African children against meningitis.

Original source: UN News
Published on 17 November 2019