The Abia State Government has announced that it achieved 96 per cent coverage in its recently concluded measles-rubella vaccination campaign, surpassing the 95 per cent threshold required for herd immunity.
The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, revealed this on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia. The campaign, which began on February 3, targeted children aged nine months to 14 years in schools, health facilities, and other public institutions across the state.
According to Kanu, over 8,000 vaccination teams were deployed to ensure smooth implementation. Preliminary reports indicate that the exercise exceeded expectations, achieving 96 per cent coverage of the target population, a significant public health milestone.
He explained that herd immunity occurs when a large proportion of the population becomes immune through vaccination or prior exposure, reducing the likelihood of disease outbreaks. By surpassing the 95 per cent benchmark, Abia has significantly lowered the risk of measles and rubella spreading statewide.
Kanu also announced that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has approved a partnership between the State Ministry of Health and Quantus Medical Foundation, a U.S.-based healthcare consultancy, aimed at enhancing service delivery. The collaboration will focus on training health workers, improving patient experience, and promoting best practices across public health facilities.
In addition, the ministry plans to fully operationalise 53 Primary Health Centres, bringing the total number of functional centres in the state to about 117 once completed. The commissioner described the vaccination success as a reflection of the administration’s commitment to accessible, quality healthcare for all residents.
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