Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nearly 15,000 of Nigeria’s 19,213 confirmed measles cases this year involve children who receive no vaccine doses, according to figures released Tuesday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The agency’s monthly situation report shows that children aged nine months to under five years account for almost half of confirmed infections between January and November, exposing major gaps in routine immunisation coverage.
Over the eleven-month period, Nigeria records 26,866 suspected measles cases and 153 deaths, translating to a case fatality rate of 0.8 per cent.
Northern Nigeria bears the brunt of the outbreak, accounting for more than 80 per cent of confirmed cases, with Borno, Zamfara, Yobe, Bauchi and Kebbi recording the highest numbers.
Despite the heavy toll earlier in the year, November shows significant improvement. Only 71 suspected cases are reported across 20 states, resulting in one confirmed case and no deaths, the NCDC says.
By the end of November, 187 local government areas across 27 states successfully ended their outbreaks. “Only one LGA, Eti-Osa in Lagos State, had an ongoing measles outbreak in November, with no new outbreaks reported,” the agency states.
However, the NCDC flags persistent surveillance challenges, including poor blood specimen collection rates, and urges intensified routine immunisation, particularly in underserved communities.
The agency calls on parents and guardians to ensure eligible children receive recommended vaccines, stressing that while measles is highly contagious, it remains entirely preventable.
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Korede Abdullah 
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