Author: The Nation

The Nigerian Red Cross Society has mobilised about 5,000 volunteers across Lagos State to support the measles–rubella vaccination exercise across Lagos State.

The project, jointly funded by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Red Cross, will see the deployment of 4,857 trained community-based volunteers across all 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.

Speaking at the ongoing training in Lagos, the Lagos State Branch Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross, Mr. Olakunle Lasisi, said the organisation would work across all 20 local government areas, ensuring that every ward and community is reached.

He said, “Our volunteers are community-based. They live in the communities they serve, and that makes it easier to reach caregivers directly. What we are doing now is the training of trainers. These trainers, known as supervisors, will oversee the volunteers at the local government level.”

According to him, programme coordinators, divisional secretaries and data officers are also being trained to support daily reporting, data collection and monitoring of the exercise. 

He said that any case of resistance or refusal to vaccinate would be flagged and referred to local government health educators and local immunisation officers for follow-up.

Lasisi stressed that the Lagos State Government remains the lead agency for the campaign, with the Red Cross serving as an auxiliary to public authorities. 

After the training of trainers, Lasisi said, step-down training would be conducted at the local government level, ahead of field mobilisation scheduled to begin two days before the commencement of vaccination.

“From experience, our involvement has always yielded strong results. In 2018, we recorded about 99 per cent coverage. With nearly 5,000 carefully selected volunteers this time, we expect nothing less,” he added.

Also speaking, Senior Project Officer of the Nigerian Red Cross, Dr. Ahmad Majid, said the organisation was deploying more than 4,800 volunteers across every local government, ward and community in Lagos to support vaccination teams through mobilisation, referrals and community engagement.

He said, “Our volunteers will also address rumours, myths and misconceptions surrounding vaccines.”

He explained that, in addition to the measles–rubella vaccine, other routine immunisation vaccines, including the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for adolescent girls, would be available during the campaign.

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Majid noted that the measles–rubella campaign is part of a national programme being implemented in phases, with earlier phases conducted in northern states, including Kano, where the Red Cross supported mobilisation and capacity building across 14 states.

He urged parents and caregivers to rely on credible sources of information, assuring them of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.

“The vaccines are safe, effective and fully paid for by the Nigerian government. People should avoid misinformation and consult health workers, community leaders and trusted platforms such as the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, WHO, UNICEF and Red Cross channels,” he said. 

IFRC representative Mrs. Sandra Kanezi said the Lagos campaign would run for 12 days, supported by two days of pre-mobilisation and two days of follow-up activities. 

She added that more than 400 supervisors would coordinate over 4,000 volunteers conducting house-to-house mobilisation across the state.

“This campaign is meant to complement routine immunisation and ensure that no child is missed,” she said, expressing optimism that Lagos would record high coverage and reduced measles and rubella burden.