The Cross River State Government has announced the commencement of the 2026 Measles–Rubella Vaccination Campaign alongside the Human Papillomavirus vaccination across the state.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and development partners, the government said the vaccination exercise would run from Wednesday, February 4, to Sunday, February 15, 2026, across the state’s 18 local government areas.
Speaking on the campaign, the Director-General of the agency, Dr Vivien Mesembe-Otu, disclosed that the Measles–Rubella vaccine would be administered to children aged nine months to 14 years, while the HPV vaccine would be given to adolescent girls aged nine years to protect them against cervical cancer.
She added that routine immunisation services for children aged zero to 23 months would also be provided during and after the campaign.
“The routine immunisation services for children aged 0–23 months will be provided during and after the campaign. The Measles–Rubella vaccine will be administered to children aged nine months to 14 years, while the HPV vaccine will be given to adolescent girls aged nine years to protect them against cervical cancer,” she said.
Mesembe-Otu explained that 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.
She emphasised that vaccination remains the most effective means of protecting children from birth against the diseases.
“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,” she added.
According to her, the campaign forms part of a nationwide vaccination exercise by the Federal Government aimed at strengthening immunity among children and reducing the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases across the country.
She said vaccinations would be administered at health facilities, schools, churches, mosques, markets, recreational centres, palaces, motor parks, shopping malls, and other public locations to ensure wide coverage.
The agency assured residents that trained health workers would be deployed to all designated vaccination points to ensure a smooth, respectful, and child-friendly process.
Parents and caregivers were urged to take advantage of the exercise and ensure that all eligible children are vaccinated.
“All vaccines to be administered during the campaign are free, safe, effective, and fully funded by the government,” Mesembe-Otu said.
