The Nasarawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (NAPHDA) has intensified efforts to curb the rising cases of measles and rubella through a series of strategic initiatives ahead of its 2025 Integrated Measles-Rubella (MR) Vaccination Campaign.

As part of its preparations, NAPHDA convened a stakeholders’ engagement meeting to develop strategies aimed at boosting immunization coverage across the state.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Usman Iskilu Saleh, Executive Secretary of NAPHDA, stressed the importance of collaboration among health officials, partners, and community stakeholders.

He called for active community engagement and advocacy to encourage vaccine uptake, describing a collective approach as crucial to the campaign’s success.

In a related development, the State Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Hon. Ibrahim Tanko, urged journalists to take the lead in raising public awareness about the upcoming vaccination exercise. He emphasized that timely and accurate information could significantly improve vaccine acceptance rates.

NAPHDA has also mobilized Ward Development Committees (WDCs) to strengthen grassroots participation in the campaign and improve the delivery of primary healthcare services in local communities.

Dr. Saleh disclosed that, with support from the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), the state has begun microplanning activities, including an orientation session for Technical Assistants (TAs) from all Local Government Areas (LGAs). The exercise is designed to ensure smooth implementation of the campaign.

“Nasarawa State’s proactive measures against measles and rubella reflect a strong commitment to safeguarding children and communities from preventable diseases,” Dr. Saleh said. “With collaboration among government agencies, partners, and the media, we are poised to achieve significant public health gains.”