The Kaduna State Government has launched an integrated measles and rubella vaccination campaign aimed at reaching over 4.2 million children across its 23 local government areas.
The 10-day exercise, which began on October 18, 2025, is being carried out in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other development partners.
The campaign forms part of national efforts to reduce vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, rubella, and polio.
Speaking at the official flag-off of the event held at the Badarawa Primary Healthcare Centre in Kaduna, Suleiman Mohammed, WHO’s Data Officer, described the campaign as a “golden opportunity” for families to protect their children from deadly but preventable illnesses.
“As we all know, measles is a deadly disease, and many cases are being reported across the state and other parts of the region. This campaign gives us a chance to change that narrative, “he said.
Mohammed added that over 2,000 supervisors have been deployed across the state to monitor the campaign and respond swiftly to any issues.
He urged communities to report vaccine hesitancy or service gaps for immediate intervention.
Also speaking, Hamza Ikara, Kaduna state Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, disclosed that the state accounts for 10 of Nigeria’s 100 zero-dose Local Government Areas — areas where children have never received any vaccines.
He noted that “Nigeria has 100 Local Government Areas affected by the zero-dose challenge, and Kaduna accounts for 10 of them, representing nearly 10% of the national total.”
According to him, over 4,000 zero-dose children have already been identified in Kaduna, with the number now decreasing due to expanded outreach by development partners.
“For this campaign, we are targeting 4.2 million children between the ages of 9 months and 14 years,” he said.
Mohammed said in addition to measles and rubella vaccines, the campaign includes oral polio vaccination, deworming, and distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets which are all parts of Kaduna state’s commitment to improving child health.
