In a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s public health system, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, officially flagged off the Measles-Rubella Vaccine Introduction Integrated Campaign, an initiative aimed at immunizing millions of Nigerian children and adolescents against measles, rubella, and other preventable diseases.
The National Flag-off Ceremony which took place in Abuja, marked the beginning of what was described as Africa’s largest vaccination drive that targeted over 106 million children between the ages of 9 months and 14 years across the country in two phases.
The First Lady who spoke at the programme described the campaign as a collective national commitment to protect the lives and future of Nigerian children.
“This flag-off signals our collective resolve to end the devastation caused by measles and rubella. These diseases steal the future of our sons and daughters,” the First Lady said.
“Measles can cause blindness, permanent disability, and even death, while rubella, though often silent, can lead to birth defects such as blindness, deafness, and heart disorders in babies born to infected mothers.”
Senator Tinubu advised parents, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to support the campaign by encouraging vaccination in their communities.
“A vaccine in a vial does not save a child; a vaccine in a clinic does not protect a community. Protection only becomes real when that vaccine is injected into the arm of a child,” she said.
“Mothers, take your children to be vaccinated. Fathers, support your families to ensure your children are protected. Traditional and religious leaders, your voices carry immense weight—use them to dispel rumours and ensure no child is left behind.”
She also reaffirmed that all vaccines provided through the campaign are safe, effective, and free, noting that immunization remains one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine.
The First Lady later launched the campaign officially and it is expected that it will help integrate efforts that would strengthen polio immunization as well as expand the rollout of the HPV vaccine among adolescent girls.
According to experts, the integrated approach has the capacity to maximize resources and improve overall health outcome.
This campaign, aligns with Nigeria’s commitments under the Immunization Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reflecting the nation’s determination to eliminate measles and rubella while improving child survival and school attendance rates.
Also, The Deputy Director for Immunization and Disease Control at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Nigeria, Yusuf Yusufari, praised the initiative, recalling that Nigeria introduced the HPV vaccine under the leadership of the First Lady two years ago.
“Nigeria became a global exemplar in protecting young girls from cervical cancer. This campaign shares that same goal — ensuring no child or woman dies from preventable diseases,” he said.
Tarcile Mballa, Senior Programme Manager for Nigeria at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, described the campaign as a convergence of “ambition and opportunity,” noting that Gavi’s partnership with Nigeria, worth over $2.6 billion, has been pivotal in driving immunization progress across Nigeria.
The event was attended by top government officials, development partners, traditional rulers, and representatives of international health organizations, marking a unified front in Nigeria’s fight against preventable childhood diseases.
