The Plateau State Primary Healthcare Board has paid an advocacy visit to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) to seek collaboration for a successful roll-out and integration of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine into routine immunization services across the state.
Speaking during the visit, The Health Promotion Officer Mrs. Rachel Dung emphasized the importance of the campaign, which targets children aged 9 months to 14 years. She highlighted that the MR vaccine is crucial in protecting children from the highly contagious diseases of measles and rubella—both of which can cause serious health complications, with rubella being particularly dangerous to unborn children.
Mrs. Rachel Dung explained the board’s strategies for public sensitization, stakeholder mobilization, and combating vaccine hesitancy, stressing that JUTH, as a major healthcare institution, plays a vital role in ensuring mass awareness and community participation.
The visit was attended by JUTH’s Chief Medical Director Dr. Pokop Bupwatda, alongside the Management Team, Head of Pediatrics Professor Olukemi Ige, Head of Nursing Mrs. Umar K. Mary, and Representative of Community Medicine. Dr. Bupwatda thanked the board for the initiative and assured them of the hospital’s support. “When the time comes, feel free to inform management—we will take it up from there,” he said.
The meeting ended with the presentation of campaign flyers. The statewide campaign is scheduled to last 10 days, with the MR vaccination officially commencing in October 2025.
During the session, the visiting team also shared insights from community-level engagement and assessments conducted in various Local Government Areas (LGAs). They expressed hope that the partnership with JUTH would strengthen efforts to eliminate measles and rubella in Plateau State, ensuring every child receives timely protection through vaccination.
GALLERY
