Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi (Remi) Tinubu, has officially launched a sweeping Measles-Rubella Vaccine Introduction Integrated Campaign, aimed at immunising about 106 million children aged 9 months to under 15 years nationwide.
LensNews gathered that the event held in Abuja marks the flag-off of what is called the largest integrated immunisation campaign in Africa to date. The campaign is a coordinated effort between the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and development partners including WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, and the Gates Foundation.
During the launch, Mrs. Tinubu emphasized that measles and rubella remain leading causes of child mortality, blindness, disability, and congenital defects. She urged parents, traditional and religious leaders to actively participate and support the campaign, stating: “A vaccine in a vial does not save a child … Protection only becomes real when that vaccine is injected into the arm of a child.”
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, described the campaign as historic and vital to Nigeria’s health system. According to him, the rollout will combine measles-rubella vaccination with polio immunisation, HPV vaccine introduction for adolescent girls, and other health interventions, maximizing outreach efficiency.
The First Lady assured Nigerians that all vaccines administered under the campaign will be safe, effective, and free of charge. She pledged her personal commitment to galvanising support through state first ladies, women’s groups, and community stakeholders to ensure that no eligible child is left behind.
As part of the strategy, schools are expected to serve as vaccination hubs, and the Education Ministry has warned that sanctions may be applied against schools that deny access to vaccinators.
The campaign is being viewed as a milestone in Nigeria’s fight against vaccine-preventable diseases, with expectations that it will strengthen immunity coverage nationwide, reduce disease burden, and save countless young lives.
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