Red Cross Deploys 5,000 Volunteers for Measles–Rubella Vaccination in Lagos

The Nigerian Red Cross Society has mobilised about 5,000 volunteers across Lagos State to support the ongoing measles–rubella vaccination exercise, aimed at ensuring wide coverage and protecting children against preventable diseases.

The project, jointly funded by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Red Cross, will involve the deployment of 4,857 trained community-based volunteers across all 20 local government areas of the state. The volunteers will work closely with government health teams to drive mobilisation, referrals and community engagement.

Speaking during the ongoing training in Lagos, the Lagos State Branch Secretary of the Nigerian Red Cross, Mr. Olakunle Lasisi, said the organisation would ensure that every ward and community is reached. He explained that the volunteers are drawn from the communities they serve, making it easier to engage caregivers and address concerns directly.

“Our volunteers are community-based. What we are doing now is the training of trainers. These supervisors will oversee activities at the local government level and ensure effective coordination,” Lasisi said.

He added that programme coordinators, divisional secretaries and data officers are also being trained to support daily reporting, monitoring and data collection. According to him, cases of resistance or refusal would be flagged and referred to local government health educators and immunisation officers for follow-up.

Lasisi stressed that the Lagos State Government remains the lead agency for the campaign, with the Red Cross serving as an auxiliary partner. He expressed optimism, recalling that a similar intervention in 2018 recorded about 99 per cent coverage.

Also speaking, Senior Project Officer of the Nigerian Red Cross, Dr. Ahmad Majid, said over 4,800 volunteers would be deployed to address rumours, myths and misconceptions surrounding vaccines. He noted that other routine immunisation vaccines, including the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for adolescent girls, would also be available.

An IFRC representative, Mrs. Sandra Kanezi, disclosed that the Lagos campaign would run for 12 days, supported by pre-mobilisation and follow-up activities, adding that the effort is designed to ensure no child is missed.