No fewer than five children have died while several others are currently hospitalised following a measles outbreak that has unsettled the Unguwar Kanawa community in the Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The Village Head of Unguwar Kanawa, Nasiru Yunusa, who confirmed the development, disclosed that two children from the same family died just a week ago.
Speaking with journalists, Yunusa attributed the outbreak to vaccine hesitancy, noting that many parents initially refused to vaccinate their children due to widespread misconceptions about immunisation.
“Two-thirds of our people didn’t like vaccinating their children due to misconceptions,” he said. “But now, many are changing their attitude because of the sickness and deaths we are witnessing.”
He also lamented the lack of healthcare facilities in the community, revealing that the nearest primary health centre is located about seven kilometres away.
“Women now deliver at home because there’s no clinic here. We are appealing to the government to provide a health clinic for us,” he pleaded.
Similarly, a resident, Saude Safiyanu, recounted her painful experience of losing four out of her six children to preventable diseases, including measles.
According to her, her husband had initially opposed vaccination.
“We didn’t vaccinate our children, and we didn’t take them to the hospital for immunisation because my husband didn’t approve it,” she said.
“This is how I lost four of my six children. But I later understood the importance of vaccination, so I begged him to allow me to vaccinate the last girl I gave birth to, and now she is very healthy.”
Safiyanu noted that opposition to vaccination, particularly among men in the community, was previously widespread but said recent events were changing perceptions.
“In the past, our men always opposed immunisation, but now their mindset is changing after many children fell sick and some died,” she added, urging other women to ensure their children receive necessary vaccinations.
Reacting to the outbreak, the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, Hamza Ibrahim Ikara, said the board had intensified vaccination efforts across the affected community.
“In response to this outbreak, I have directed the Local Government Surveillance Officer to strengthen surveillance,” Ikara said.
He added that vaccination teams would visit the community to administer vaccines, stressing the board’s determination to halt the spread of the disease.
“Our goal is to quickly stop the outbreak within this community and across the local government area,” he stated.
Meanwhile, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Kaduna, Dr Birukila, who visited the community as part of Vaccination Week and Polio Vaccination Campaign, expressed concern over the high number of unvaccinated children.
“Three years ago, this community had 100 per cent refusal for vaccination. Now, as you can see, several children are suffering from measles,” she said.
Dr Birukila commended religious and traditional leaders for supporting immunisation campaigns but urged for sustained efforts from all stakeholders.
“We appeal to parents, community leaders, the government, and partners like UNICEF and WHO to encourage the uptake of immunisation. Many illnesses are now appearing because children are either not immunised or not immunised on time,” she said.
She further disclosed that the country is currently facing a shortage of measles vaccines.
“We are trying to find vaccines for measles amid national shortages. It’s crucial we secure predictable vaccination supplies to protect the children,” Dr Birukila added.
The outbreak has heightened calls for improved healthcare infrastructure and aggressive vaccination campaigns to prevent further tragedies in the community.
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