The Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Lagos State Branch, has commenced a Training of Trainers (ToT) for its Measles–Rubella (MR) House-to-House Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Social Mobilisation Project, aimed at supporting the ongoing MR vaccination exercise across Lagos State.
Under the initiative, jointly funded by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Red Cross, the NRCS will deploy 4,857 trained community-based volunteers across all 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The volunteers will engage households for 12 days, including pre-campaign sensitisation, vaccination mobilisation and follow-up, to improve awareness and vaccine uptake among eligible children.
To ensure effective coordination, the Red Cross is training 486 supervisors, alongside divisional secretaries and data officers, who will oversee field activities and manage daily reporting.
Speaking during the training, Lagos State Branch Secretary, Mr. Olakunle Lasisi, said the programme strengthens grassroots implementation, noting that vaccine refusal cases would be documented and escalated to health educators and Local Immunisation Officers for follow-up.
Lasisi explained that the training equips volunteers to counter misinformation, fears and misconceptions around vaccination, stressing that community trust in the Red Cross remains a key advantage in addressing vaccine hesitancy.
He expressed confidence in the campaign’s success, citing high coverage recorded during similar mobilisation efforts in 2018.
Also speaking, Mrs. Sandra Kanezi of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Dr. Ahmed Abdul Majid of the NRCS headquarters said the Lagos campaign aligns with national disease-prevention goals.
They urged parents and caregivers to rely on verified health information, reiterating that the Measles–Rubella vaccine is safe, effective and essential for protecting children’s health.
Reporting by Niran Odufayo