Cross River State to Launch 2026 Measles–Rubella and HPV Vaccination Campaign in February
The Cross River State Government has announced that the 2026 Measles–Rubella and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign will commence on Wednesday, February 4, and run until Sunday, February 15, across all 18 local government areas of the state.
The announcement was made by the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and development partners. The campaign targets children and adolescent girls to protect them against vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthen immunity nationwide.
Dr Vivien Mesembe-Otu, Director-General of the agency, stated that the Measles–Rubella vaccine will be administered to children aged nine months to 14 years, while the HPV vaccine will be given to nine-year-old girls to protect them from cervical cancer. She added that routine immunisation services for children aged zero to 23 months will also be available during and after the campaign.
“Measles and rubella remain major public health concerns capable of causing severe fever, congenital malformations, blindness, miscarriage in pregnant women, and even death if not prevented. Vaccination remains the most effective means of protecting children against these diseases,” Dr Mesembe-Otu said.
The campaign forms part of a nationwide vaccination initiative led by the Federal Government to reduce the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases and improve child health across Nigeria.
Vaccinations will be administered at multiple locations to ensure wide coverage, including health facilities, schools, churches, mosques, markets, recreational centres, palaces, motor parks, and shopping malls. The agency assured residents that trained health workers would be available at all vaccination points to ensure a smooth, respectful, and child-friendly process.
Parents and caregivers were urged to participate fully in the exercise to ensure that all eligible children are vaccinated. Dr Mesembe-Otu emphasised that all vaccines provided during the campaign are free, safe, effective, and fully funded by the government.
The Cross River State vaccination campaign underscores the government’s commitment to protecting children and adolescents from serious illnesses and improving public health outcomes across the state.
