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The Enugu State Government on Monday said it has recorded 100 per cent coverage in its measles–rubella vaccination campaign, reaching over two million children across the state.
The Chief Executive Officer and the Executive Secretary of the State’s Primary Health Care Development Agency, Ifeyinwa Ani-Osheku, disclosed this during an interview with PREMIUM TIMES.
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Mrs Ani-Osheku said that the exercise, held from 4 to 14 February 2026, reached 2,193,001 children across all 17 local government areas of the state.
She said data from the state’s validated immunisation reporting platform confirmed that the campaign had fully covered the targeted demographic.
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“We successfully reached our target population of 2,193,001 children. We achieved 100 per cent coverage of the target population,” she said.
According to her, the outcome significantly strengthens herd immunity against measles and rubella, two highly contagious viral diseases that can cause serious complications in children.
She described the performance as a product of “rigorous micro-planning and execution” across the state.
Mrs Ani-Osheku said safety monitoring systems were active throughout the campaign, noting that only a low incidence of adverse events following immunisation was recorded.
She added that this reinforces the safety and efficacy of the vaccines administered, as well as the competence of frontline health workers involved in the exercise.
Rollout of MR vaccine
The rollout of the measles–rubella (MR) vaccine began in October 2025, spearheaded by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, in what was described as Africa’s largest child immunisation drive, aimed at protecting millions of children and adolescents from the two diseases.
Earlier that month, a monitoring team led by Muyi Aina, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and Adedolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary of Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), toured selected states to track the progress of the vaccination exercise.
In February 2026, a PREMIUM TIMES report indicated that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had introduced the MR vaccine in Anambra State.
Around the same period, data from Akwa Ibom State showed that 1.2 million children had been vaccinated just six days after the campaign began.
Collaboration across sectors
Speaking on collaboration, Mrs Ani-Osheku attributed the success of the campaign to strong partnership among stakeholders, including the state government, local authorities, development partners, and community leaders.
She commended the Enugu State government and the governor, Peter Mbah, for providing political will and resources for the exercise.
She also applauded the leadership of the 17 LGAs for grassroots mobilisation, as well as religious and traditional institutions for helping to address vaccine hesitancy.
“Your voice in the churches, mosques and palaces bridged the gap between hesitancy and acceptance,” she said, noting that the state recorded a significant reduction in non-compliant schools and worship centres compared to previous vaccination efforts.
She further acknowledged the support of the NPHCDA for technical oversight and vaccine supply.
Development partners, including United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the WHO, were also commended for providing technical, logistical and financial support.
Transition to routine immunisation
With the campaign concluded, Mrs Ani-Osheku said the state is shifting focus to strengthening routine immunisation to sustain the gains achieved.
She announced that all primary healthcare centres across the state will now stock the MR vaccine and urged parents and caregivers to ensure eligible children receive the jab.
She reiterated the agency’s commitment to closing immunisation gaps across the state, adding that the campaign demonstrated the effectiveness of data-driven planning and coordinated stakeholder engagement.
The Executive Secretary said the outcome demonstrates that data-driven strategies and coordinated stakeholder support can deliver effective public health interventions, adding that the state remains committed to ensuring full protection for every eligible child.
Earlier progress reports
The latest announcement follows earlier updates in which state officials reported crossing the 50 per cent coverage mark.
Four days after the exercise began, state officials announced that more than one million children had been vaccinated.
In a subsequent update issued about a week into the campaign, the agency said it had vaccinated over 1.5 million children, approximately 68 per cent of the projected target.
Measles and rubella
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing.
It is characterised by high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a distinctive rash. Severe cases can lead to pneumonia, brain inflammation (encephalitis), blindness and death, particularly among malnourished children.
Rubella, also known as German measles, is generally milder in children but poses serious risks during pregnancy.
Infection in pregnant women, especially during the first trimester, can result in miscarriage, stillbirth or congenital rubella syndrome, which may cause deafness, heart defects and developmental delays in newborns.
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