C/River Launches 2022 Integrated Measles Campaign

The Cross River Government on Thursday launched the 2022 Integrated Measles Vaccination Campaign in Calabar.

The campaign, which would run from Nov. 3 to Nov. 10, would feature the introduction of Rotavirus and COVID-19 vaccination.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhoeal disease among infants and young children. Nearly every child in the world is infected with a rotavirus at least once by the age of five.

The Cross River Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu, said at the launch of the campaign that measles is a dangerous disease for children and must be checked.

He added that “today, people are no longer worried about COVID-19, so, they no longer wear face mask or observe social distancing; this is contributing to the spread of preventable diseases that would have easily been prevented.

“We urge parents with children of between zero to five years of age who missed this vaccine to come forward and ensure that their wards are vaccinated against measles and diarrhea, while adults avail themselves of COVID-19 vaccination.