First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Flags Off Measles-Rubella Vaccine Campaign to Protect Over 100 Million Nigerian Children
— Describes initiative as a national resolve to end preventable childhood diseases
Abuja, Nigeria – October 6, 2025:
In a major step toward strengthening Nigeria’s public health system, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has officially flagged off the Measles-Rubella Vaccine Introduction Integrated Campaign, a landmark health initiative aimed at immunizing millions of Nigerian children and adolescents against measles, rubella, and other preventable diseases.
The launch, which took place at the National Flag-off Ceremony in Abuja, marks the beginning of what has been described as Africa’s largest vaccination drive, targeting over 106 million children between the ages of 9 months and 14 years across the country in two phases.
Speaking at the ceremony, Senator Tinubu 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.”
She urged 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.”
Senator Tinubu 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 officially launched the campaign, which also integrates efforts to strengthen polio immunization and expand the rollout of the HPV vaccine among adolescent girls. The integrated approach is designed to maximize resources and improve overall health outcome.
The 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.
Stakeholders Commend Initiative
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 the country.
Traditional and religious leaders also voiced strong support. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, emphasized the importance of awareness, saying many Nigerians were still unaware of rubella’s dangers, while the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, stressed that advocacy and education—rather than coercion—were key to the campaign’s success.
“We defeated polio not by force but by convincing people that vaccines are safe. This same approach will ensure success against rubella and measles,” the Sultan said.
Also lending his support, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, described the initiative as “a golden opportunity to reduce preventable childhood deaths and strengthen public health across Nigeria.”
Earlier, Dr. Muyi Aina, Executive Director and CEO of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), hailed the initiative as “the mother of all campaigns — the largest in Africa’s history,” emphasizing its significance in safeguarding Nigeria’s next generation.
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.
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