Vaccination campaign reaches 300 IDP children in Benue State

The Benue State Government has launched a comprehensive vaccination campaign targeting children in temporary Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, including the camp for Yelewata residents at the Makurdi International Market premises. To date, more than 300 children have been immunised against Measles Rubella (MR) and Oral Polio Virus (OPV).

The drive is part of a broader, integrated effort to protect children from several preventable diseases—measles, rubella, polio, and Human Papillomavirus (HPV). According to Mrs. Benedicta Aboh, Chief Supervisor of the Integrated Vaccination Campaign Fixed Team, the immunisation exercise began on Saturday and saw over 250 children receive vaccinations on the first day alone. The team provided routine immunisations for children aged 0–23 months, MR for those aged nine months to 14 years, OPV for children aged 0–59 months, HPV vaccines for nine‑year‑old girls, treatment for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC).

Notably, there have been no recorded cases of vaccine refusal or zero‑dose children so far, and the team plans additional rounds of immunisation due to the large turnout at the camp. Benue State has received 2.7 million doses of MR vaccine and 2.3 million doses of OPV for the campaign, which also includes other routine vaccines. State Immunisation Officer Mr. Innocent Adega reported that a total of 1,110 fixed teams and 1,274 sweep (house‑to‑house) teams have been deployed across the 23 Local Government Areas to ensure full coverage.

The campaign is scheduled to run for ten days, from October 18 to 27, with two extra days allocated for mop‑up activities. It has progressed effectively, with no major challenges encountered so far. The successful rollout is crucial for protecting vulnerable children from preventable diseases and underscores the importance of continued support and resources for public health initiatives in the region. Maintaining momentum as the drive continues will ensure that all eligible children receive the necessary vaccinations to prevent the spread of these diseases.