Dr. Abimbola Bowale, the Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Health District IV, has announced that the district achieved a 95% success rate during its recent routine immunization exercise.
The campaign successfully reached children across four key Local Government Areas, including Apapa, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Surulere. Out of an initial target of 1,108,811 children, health officials successfully vaccinated 1,056,908 individuals between the ages of 0 and 14 years.
Dr. Bowale emphasized that the measles-rubella vaccine is a vital tool for protecting children from highly contagious and life-threatening diseases. Beyond providing long-lasting immunity, the vaccine plays a critical role in preventing severe complications such as pneumonia, blindness, and encephalitis.
By reducing mortality rates and preventing rubella-induced birth defects, the exercise ensures broader community safety and is essential for preventing localized outbreaks.
Providing a breakdown of the regional performance, Dr. Titilayo Oni, the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics for the district, noted that Surulere recorded the highest numbers with 469,124 children vaccinated.
Lagos Mainland followed with 266,190 vaccinations, while Lagos Island and Apapa vaccinated 209,740 and 111,854 children, respectively. These figures culminated in the district’s impressive overall coverage score on the State’s official summary table.
The campaign, which was flagged off by the Lagos State Government in January 2026, focuses on two distinct but equally dangerous viral infections. While measles typically presents as a severe illness characterized by high fever and rash, rubella is often milder but poses a significant threat to pregnant women due to the risk of congenital birth defects.