The Ogun State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the fight against measles by assuring residents of adequate funding and logistical support for the upcoming measles rubella vaccination campaign scheduled to run from January 27 to February 5, 2026.
The assurance was given by the Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako Oyedele, during a meeting of the State Task Force on Primary Health Care held at Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, according to a statement made available to Saturday PUNCH.
Salako Oyedele, who chairs the task force, commended the Ministry of Health, health sector stakeholders, development partners, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for their continued support, including the provision of ambulance boats to improve healthcare access in riverine communities.
She praised their collective efforts in sustaining a resilient primary healthcare system despite existing challenges, while reaffirming Governor Dapo Abiodun’s commitment to strengthening all primary healthcare interventions across the state.
The deputy governor also urged religious institutions, community development associations, women groups, the National Orientation Agency, and the media to intensify public sensitisation ahead of the campaign.
“The request for funding has been made, and we are confident it will be approved promptly to enable us to meet our responsibilities in this very intensive exercise,” she said.
In her welcome address, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, applauded development partners, religious leaders, community-based organisations, and other stakeholders for their consistent collaboration with the state government in improving healthcare delivery, particularly at the grassroots level.
She noted that the task force meeting provided an opportunity to assess progress within the primary healthcare system and harmonise strategies ahead of the statewide immunisation exercise.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Ogun State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Elijah Ogunsola, presented a comprehensive report on the board’s achievements and challenges in 2025. He disclosed that while most local governments recorded improvements in key health indicators, some challenges remained due to infrastructure and logistics gaps.
Ogunsola revealed that the measles–rubella vaccination campaign would last 10 days and target children aged nine months to 14 years, describing it as one of the widest age-range immunisation exercises ever conducted in the state.
Speaking on behalf of development partners, UNICEF representative, Mrs Moloku, commended the Ogun State Government for its strong commitment to primary healthcare, noting that the initiative aligns with global efforts to end preventable diseases in Africa. She assured UNICEF’s continued technical and financial support for the successful execution of the campaign.
