In a remarkable show of commitment to child health and national progress, Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has officially launched the much-anticipated Measles-Rubella Vaccine Introduction Integrated Campaign.
The integrated campaign is the largest health initiative in Africa’s history aimed at immunising millions of children and adolescents against measles, rubella, and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
At the National Flag-off ceremony in Abuja, the First Lady said the campaign is a bold step towards protecting the lives and the 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.
“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 of infected pregnant women who may be born with blindness, deafness, or serious heart defects.”
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
Mrs Tinubu highlighted the profound consequences of these diseases, not only on families but on communities and the nation itself.
She urged Nigerians to embrace the vaccine wholeheartedly, stressing that “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 urged Fathers and Mothers to also contribute their quota towards ensuring good health for their children.
“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,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu expressed appreciation for the pivotal roles traditional and religious leaders played in the successful rollout of the HPV vaccine.
“These vaccines are safe, effective, and free.
“They are among the greatest gifts of modern medicine, saving lives, preventing disease, and allowing our children the chance to grow, learn, and thrive,” the First Lady added.
The flagging off of the campaign now sets in motion a nationwide drive with the aim of reaching approximately 106 million children aged 9 months to 15 years in two phases.
The campaign also integrates vaccination efforts against polio and the rollout of the HPV vaccine among adolescent girls, combining resources to optimise health impact.
The campaign, which targets children aged 9 months to 14 years, aligns with international best practices and Nigeria’s commitments under the Immunisation Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals.
It represents a bold national strategy to eliminate measles and rubella, improve school attendance, and secure the nation’s future.
Deputy Director for Immunisation and Disease Control at the Gates Foundation Nigeria, Yusuf Yusufari, emphasised the resilience and progress of Nigeria’s immunisation journey.
He recalled that two years ago, Nigeria introduced the HPV vaccine into its routine immunisation programme at the same venue, led by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
She emphasised the ambitious scope of the campaign, describing it as a convergence of “ambition and opportunity” with Nigeria leading public health innovation on the continent.
The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, stressed the importance of protecting children’s health as a national priority.
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, also emphasised that advocacy and education, rather than enforcement, will be crucial for Nigeria’s rubella vaccine campaign to succeed.
He recalled the country’s successful polio eradication efforts, attributing it to community persuasion rather than coercion.
President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, expressed profound support and optimism for the initiative aimed at protecting children and strengthening public health nationwide.
He described the campaign as a golden opportunity towards reducing preventable childhood deaths and strengthen public health in our nation.