Ouagadougou: The Pi©la Medical Center (CM), in the province of Gnagna, launched a vaccination campaign against measles and rubella on Friday, with the aim of immunizing more than 16,000 children aged 9 to 59 months in the commune.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the campaign is scheduled to take place from August 6 to 12, 2026, and will mobilize 32 health workers spread across fixed and advanced sites. These teams will travel throughout the different sectors and villages of the municipality to ensure optimal vaccination coverage for the children concerned.

The chief physician of the Pi©la Medical Centre, Dr. Wassiyou Akangb©, invited parents and guardians to have their children vaccinated by going to the various vaccination sites. He also urged them not to be influenced by false information that could compromise the smooth running of this public health operation. "Vaccination is the most effective way to protect children against these preventable diseases and preserve the health of the entire community," he stressed.

This campaign is part of the government's efforts to strengthen vaccination coverage and prevent outbreaks of measles and rubella. This comes in a context marked by a resurgence of measles cases in several localities across the country. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, severe diarrhea, encephalitis, and sometimes death, particularly in children under five years of age. Rubella is usually benign in children, but infection in a non-immune pregnant woman can cause serious birth defects in the fetus.

Health authorities reiterate that vaccination remains the safest, most effective, and most economical way to prevent these two diseases and provide lasting protection for communities.