Rubella, like measles, is deadly and spreads quickly, but vaccination is key—Dr Olatunji, OYOPHCB Executive Secretary

Measles isn’t just about the rash, runny nose and fever; it’s the long-term impact that often goes unnoticed. It infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body, causing a range of symptoms, including a high fever, cough, runny nose, and rash.

While many focus on the case of deaths, the potential for disability is equally alarming. Deafness, encephalitis and serious neurological complications can develop, leading to lifelong challenges. Deafness can result from untreated complications like ear infections.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases. If one person has it, nearly everyone around them will catch it if not vaccinated.

It can have a significant impact on the immune system, including the deletion of immune memory. Research indicates that measles can erase the immune memory of previous infections and vaccinations, a condition known as “immune amnesia”.

This effect means that the immune system forgets how to fight off previously encountered pathogens, increasing susceptibility to other infections. This underscores the importance of vaccination to prevent measles and its potential to compromise the immune system.

Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OYOPHCB), Dr Muideen Olatunji, at a media engagement at the state’s government secretariat on the measles-rubella campaign in its first phase running from October 4 to October 14th in Oyo State, said measles, just like rubella, spreads quickly and may be deadly, but vaccination is key to its prevention.

According to him, “They are like twin sisters, measles and rubella. The best thing, which we think is cheaper, is to prevent it from occurring. And any life lost cannot be brought back. So it’s better for us to make sure we prevent it from occurring, he said.

“We don’t need to convince anybody that the vaccine does not kill. At least we’ve seen it from several experiences we’ve had in the past. The government is doing a lot to provide quality health care. The least we can do is to believe in the government, accept the interventions they are offering us, and let everybody be better for it.

“This is the first time we are rolling the rubella campaign out. The measles-rubella vaccine, like any other vaccine, is free. All that you utilise to administer this vaccine is being provided free by the government.”

Dr Olatunji declared that vaccination has helped to prevent all the vaccine-preventable diseases, thereby reversing infant mortality, even maternal mortality in Nigeria, and urged parents to ensure they have full doses of the recommended vaccines.

He added, “You will recall that in the time past, say 40-50 years ago, the rate of infant mortality or morbidity was on the high side. You see a mother who has had about eight kids or deliveries and who will tell you only one or two survived, and they ascribe it to witches, ogbanje, or what have you. Now we have an antidote to what is actually causing the death of our infants. So we are focusing much on it.”

According to him, protecting against measles through vaccination ensures that these children are protected from its consequences, such as deafness, blindness, encephalitis, and death in extreme situations.

“So, the focus is on children between the ages of 9 months and 14 years to be able to catch up on those who might have missed the vaccination period. We are having a house-to-house campaign as well as fixed posts and mobile fixed posts for vaccination,” he added.

On rubella infection, he stated that it could, in pregnancy, result in a severe birth defect known as congenital rubella syndrome which is CRS, and therefore increase awareness about it in the community and its prevention through immunisation.

The rubella burden in Nigeria is under documented due to limited surveillance. Studies indicate that many women of childbearing age remain unprotected. As of 2024, congenital rubella syndrome remained a significant global public health concern, with an estimated 100,000 babies born with CRS each year.

Dr Olatunji said because of this, the measles vaccine is no longer standalone in Nigeria’s immunisation schedule.

He added, “A total of 10 rubella cases were reported from six local government areas in the year 2024 from the Ibadan Northeast, Ibadan Southwest, Ibarapa North, Ibarapa Central, Lagelu and Ogbomoso South local government areas of the state. From January to April 2025, Egbeda, Ibadan South-East, Ido and Ogbomoso North have all reported a case each, while Ibarapa North reported two cases.”

In his remarks, the board’s State Immunisation Officer, Mr Adedamola Adediran, said Anambra, Borno, and Oyo states had the highest measles outbreaks in 2025, and the reason Oyo State was picked for implementing the measles-rubella campaign in its Phase 1 in October.

He stated that Oyo State recorded 542 and 10 cases of measles and rubella, respectively, in 2024. In addition, 6 cases of rubella were recorded as of the end of April.

Mr Adediran stated that Nigeria has the second-highest measles rate after DRC in Africa, and so the measles-rubella vaccine introduction is to close immunity gaps, interrupt transmission of polio, measles and rubella infections and strengthen routine immunisation.

According to him, Nigeria is striving for a future where no child dies or is limited by the harmful effects of measles and rubella infections and thus is carrying out measures to reduce measles and rubella incidence to less than one case per million and achieve elimination by 2030 in line with the National Measles Rubella Elimination Plan.

READ ALSO FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE