To support the campaign, the Nigerian Red Cross Society has mobilised about 5,000 volunteers across the state, following a joint intervention funded by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Red Cross. In total, 4,857 trained community-based volunteers are being deployed across all 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Lagos State.
Speaking during an ongoing training programme in Lagos, the Lagos State Branch Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross, Mr. Olakunle Lasisi, said the organisation’s strategy is designed to reach every ward and community in the state through locally embedded volunteers.
“Our volunteers are community-based. They live in the communities they serve, and that makes it easier to reach caregivers directly,” Lasisi said. “What we are doing now is the training of trainers. These trainers, known as supervisors, will oversee the volunteers at the local government level.”
He explained that, beyond volunteers, programme coordinators, divisional secretaries and data officers are also undergoing training to strengthen daily reporting, data collection and monitoring throughout the campaign. According to him, any cases of resistance or refusal to vaccinate will be documented and referred to local government health educators and local immunisation officers for immediate follow-up.
Lasisi stressed that the Lagos State Government remains the lead agency for the vaccination exercise, while the Red Cross operates as an auxiliary to public authorities. He added that, following the training of trainers, step-down training would be conducted at the local government level ahead of field mobilisation, which is scheduled to begin two days before the commencement of vaccination.
Drawing from previous experience, Lasisi expressed confidence in the outcome of the campaign. “From experience, our involvement has always yielded strong results. In 2018, we recorded about 99 per cent coverage. With nearly 5,000 carefully selected volunteers this time, we expect nothing less,” he said.
Also speaking, the Senior Project Officer of the Nigerian Red Cross, Dr. Ahmad Majid, said the organisation is deploying more than 4,800 volunteers across every local government, ward and community in Lagos to support vaccination teams through mobilisation, referrals and sustained community engagement.
“Our volunteers will also address rumours, myths and misconceptions surrounding vaccines,” Majid said.
He noted that the campaign would not be limited to the measles–rubella vaccine alone, as other routine immunisation services would also be offered. These include the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine targeted at adolescent girls.
Majid further explained that the measles–rubella campaign forms part of a national immunisation programme being implemented in phases. He said earlier phases had already been carried out in northern states, including Kano, where the Red Cross supported mobilisation and capacity-building activities across 14 states.
Urging parents and caregivers to seek accurate information, Majid reassured the public of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. “The vaccines are safe, effective and fully paid for by the Nigerian government. People should avoid misinformation and consult health workers, community leaders and trusted platforms such as the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, WHO, UNICEF and Red Cross channels,” he said.
On her part, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) representative, Mrs. Sandra Kanezi, disclosed that the Lagos vaccination campaign would last 12 days, preceded by two days of pre-mobilisation and followed by two days of post-campaign activities.
She added that more than 400 supervisors would coordinate over 4,000 volunteers conducting house-to-house mobilisation across the state. “This campaign is meant to complement routine immunisation and ensure that no child is missed,” Kanezi said, expressing optimism that Lagos would achieve high vaccination coverage and significantly reduce the burden of measles and rubella.