In a historic stride towards improving child health and safeguarding Nigeria’s future, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has launched the Measles-Rubella Vaccine Introduction Integrated Campaign, the largest health initiative of its kind in Africa.
The national flag-off ceremony, held in Abuja, marks the beginning of a comprehensive vaccination drive aimed at immunising over 106 million Nigerian children aged 9 months to 15 years against measles, rubella, and other preventable diseases.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Tinubu described the campaign as “a bold step towards protecting the lives and future of Nigerian children.”
“This flag-off signals a collective national resolve to end the devastation caused by measles and rubella. These diseases steal the future of our sons and daughters,” she said.
Today, the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, officially flagged off the National Measles-Rubella Vaccine Campaign, the largest health initiative in Africa’s history, aimed at protecting millions of Nigerian children.
Here are some key takeaways from the event:… pic.twitter.com/cjvacAJYr4
— Busola Kukoyi (@KukoyiBusola) October 6, 2025
“Measles can cause blindness, permanent disability, and in too many cases, death. Its twin disease, rubella, though often silent, is equally harmful especially to unborn children who may be born with blindness, deafness, or serious heart defects.”
The First Lady emphasised that the success of the campaign depends on community participation, urging parents, caregivers, and leaders at all levels to take ownership of the initiative.
“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 stated.
“Mothers, take your children to be vaccinated. Fathers, support your wives and families to ensure your children are protected. To our revered traditional rulers and religious leaders your voices carry immense weight. Use your influence to spread the truth, dispel rumours, and ensure no child is left behind.”
Mrs Tinubu also expressed gratitude to traditional and religious leaders for their earlier support during the successful rollout of the HPV vaccine, reaffirming that all vaccines are safe, effective, and free.
“These vaccines are among the greatest gifts of modern medicine—saving lives, preventing disease, and allowing our children the chance to grow, learn, and thrive,” she added.
The campaign, to be conducted in two phases, integrates immunisation efforts against polio and expands the HPV vaccine rollout among adolescent girls. It aligns with Nigeria’s commitments under the Immunisation Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), strengthening national health systems and promoting school attendance.
Deputy Director for Immunisation and Disease Control at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Nigeria, Yusuf Yusufari, commended the nation’s progress, describing the initiative as a “convergence of ambition and opportunity” with Nigeria taking the lead in public health innovation across Africa.
Traditional and religious leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to the campaign. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, called child health protection a national priority, while the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, stressed that advocacy and community education rather than enforcement remain crucial for success.
The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, described the campaign as “a golden opportunity to reduce preventable childhood deaths and strengthen public health across the nation.”
With the rollout now underway, health authorities say the campaign represents not only a renewed fight against measles and rubella but also a defining moment in Nigeria’s quest for a healthier, more resilient future.
