Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ABSPHCDA) has confirmed 152 cases of rubella, also known as German measles—a contagious disease caused by the rubella virus—in the state.
Similarly, 742 cases of the contagious disease were reported across the South-East region.
This is as the Federal Government, in partnership with the Abia State Government and the World Health Organisation (WHO), has begun the recruitment of 17 Health Fellows, one from each of the 17 Local Government Areas of the state.
The ABSPHCDA Social Mobilisation Officer, Mr. Chukwudi Ukpabi, disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking at a one-day media interaction ahead of the Measles and Rubella vaccination campaign scheduled for February 4 to 13, 2026, across the state.
He expressed concern over the health implications of avoiding immunisation and called for an attitudinal change towards opposition to vaccination campaigns.
Ukpabi, who said the state was perfecting arrangements for the forthcoming vaccination exercise, urged members of the public to support the programme.
According to him, a total of 1,974,518 children between nine months and 14 years are targeted for the vaccination.
He, therefore, appealed to parents and critical stakeholders, including religious leaders and school proprietors, to support routine immunisation due to its numerous health benefits.
He expressed worries over the alleged reluctance of the Abia Catholic community towards vaccination programmes.
He traced the genesis of the development to the opposition of the Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Archbishop Michael Ukpong, during an advocacy visit by the agency, where the Bishop allegedly queried the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) campaign and expressed apprehension that it could be a veiled move against reproduction.
Ukpabi said the Bishop advised the agency to restrict its campaign to hospitals, schools, health centres and other locations outside Catholic Church premises.
He said the matter had been reported to the Deputy Governor of the state, who chairs the state’s immunisation committee, adding that the Association of Catholic Doctors had also been engaged to intervene.
Ukpabi urged members of the public to shun various conspiracy theories against immunisation, while soliciting media partnership in sensitising the public on the benefits of immunisation.
He explained that although measles and rubella share some common features, rubella could cause congenital and incurable health challenges, hence the need for vaccination to prevent the disease.
Contributing, a Health Consultant, Dr. Hyacinth Egbuna, said the prevalence rate of 742 cases in the South-East and 152 in Abia State required the cooperation of relevant stakeholders to address.
He said the vaccination would be conducted in 291 wards and 792 vaccination posts, adding that it is safe, effective and free, and aimed at preventing irreversible health challenges.
Egbuna described both measles and rubella as contagious and deadly diseases that spread easily when an infected person coughs, sneezes or even talks.
He said measles symptoms include high fever, red watery eyes, runny nose and tiredness, while symptoms of rubella include low-grade fever, headache, mild pink eyes, general discomfort, cough, enlarged lymph nodes and runny nose.
“Rubella can be transmitted from a pregnant mother to the unborn child through the placenta, leading to congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). CRS can cause serious health complications and birth defects in newborns, such as blindness, deafness, brain damage and a hole in the heart,” he said.
In a remark, the Abia State Immunisation Officer, Mrs. Chinwe Eke, said the state had fully mobilised for the forthcoming vaccination exercise.
FG begins recruitment of health fellows in Abia
Meanwhile, the Federal Government, in partnership with the Abia State Government and the World Health Organisation (WHO), has begun the recruitment of 17 Health Fellows, one from each of the 17 Local Government Areas of the state.
Three applicants per LGA were screened for the single slot allocated to each council.
Declaring the exercise open, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Ogbonnaya Uche, said the initiative was aimed at producing health fellows in every LGA who would help improve public health in their localities.
He expressed the strong support and collaboration of the Abia State Government for the initiative, which was commenced by the Federal Government in 2025.
The Chairman of the Panel and the State Coordinator of WHO, Dr. Musa Jibrin, said the initiative was to “ensure there is one health fellow in each of the 774 LGAs in Nigeria who will help strengthen the health system and improve public health in their locality.”
According to him, the initiative, which was a brainchild of the Honourable Minister for Health, is also expected to help develop the capacity of young public health experts who will become leaders of tomorrow.
He said WHO was chairing the screening exercise to ensure transparency in the process, adding that there was no room for favouritism.
“This is a process where someone gets selected without knowing anybody. The panelists score candidates independently online, and the scores hit the server in real time so the Honourable Minister can view them. There is absolutely no room for favouritism; it is purely based on merit.
“The health fellows are expected to undergo a one-year fellowship to build their capacity in health programmes and gain practical experience in public health.
“They will, in turn, help develop the public health system and are expected to undertake a public health project in their respective LGAs.”
He said the vacancy was not limited to medical personnel but also open to graduates of social sciences and ICT experts with a bias in public health.
Membership of the panel was drawn from the Abia State Ministry of Health, WHO, the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), academics and civil society organisations.
