The Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Lagos State Branch, has deployed 5,346 trained volunteers across the state to drive awareness and demand ahead of the Measles–Rubella (MR) vaccination exercise scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
The large-scale deployment signals the start of an intensive house-to-house Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) campaign aimed at ensuring that eligible children are vaccinated against measles and rubella, two highly contagious but preventable childhood diseases.
The intervention, funded by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Red Cross, is being implemented in collaboration with government health authorities to boost vaccine uptake and address hesitancy at the community level.
The mobilisation follows a week-long step-down training held across the 20 local government areas (LGAs) of Lagos State between January 19 and 23. The sessions were facilitated by local government officials and Red Cross supervisors earlier trained under a Training of Trainers programme to ensure uniform messaging, effective interpersonal communication and adherence to the Red Cross code of conduct.
Volunteers were trained on vaccine safety, benefits, eligibility and campaign timelines, as well as ethical community engagement and data reporting. Each volunteer is expected to reach at least 50 households daily through direct engagement with parents and caregivers, using local languages to build trust and improve understanding.
While the Lagos State Government has slated the MR vaccination exercise for 10 days, from January 27 to February 5, the Red Cross has extended its mobilisation to cover pre-, intra- and post-campaign periods. The Society will conduct house-to-house sensitisation from January 25 to February 3, followed by a two-day mop-up on February 6 and 7.
Speaking during monitoring visits to training sessions in Agege, Mushin and Ikorodu, the Lagos State Branch Secretary of the NRCS, Mr. Olakunle Lasisi, expressed confidence in the campaign’s success, citing the preparedness of volunteers at the grassroots.
He said cases of vaccine refusal would be documented and referred to health educators and local immunisation officers for follow-up.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Lagos State Branch, Dr. (Mrs.) Victoria Adebola Kolawole, praised the commitment and discipline of the volunteers, describing them as trusted voices in their communities.
She stressed the importance of sustained collaboration with government health authorities to improve public health outcomes.
From the national headquarters, Dr. Ahmad Abdul Majid of the NRCS described the Lagos campaign as a model for community-led vaccination support, noting that similar RCCE interventions are ongoing in Bayelsa State with over 3,000 volunteers.
With more than 5,000 volunteers deployed across urban, peri-urban and riverine communities, the Red Cross says the initiative underscores its commitment to protecting children and supporting efforts to eliminate preventable diseases in Lagos State.