Senator Oluremi Tinubu launched the National Measles-Rubella Vaccine Campaign on Tuesday, October 6, 2025, described as the largest health initiative in Africa’s history, aimed at protecting over 106 million Nigerian children from life-threatening diseases.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Abuja, Senator Tinubu said the nationwide campaign marks a significant step in Nigeria’s collective resolve to end the devastation caused by measles and rubella, diseases that continue to pose serious threats to child health.
“This flag-off signals a collective national resolve to end the devastation caused by measles and rubella,” the First Lady declared.
The campaign targets children aged 9 months to under 15 years and integrates efforts to combat measles, rubella, and polio, while also supporting the HPV vaccine rollout for adolescent girls.
Emphasising the importance of community participation, Mrs. Tinubu urged parents and community leaders to ensure children are vaccinated.
“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. I call on mothers to take their children for vaccination, and on fathers, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to support and spread the truth that vaccines are safe, effective, and free”, she said.
The First Lady described vaccines as one of the “greatest gifts of modern medicine,” capable of saving lives, preventing diseases, and enabling children to grow and thrive.
The campaign, which aligns with Nigeria’s commitments under the Immunization Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also reinforces the country’s leadership in global public health initiatives.
The flag-off event drew goodwill messages from major global and national partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, the Ooni of Ife, the Sultan of Sokoto, and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), all of whom pledged continued support to protect every Nigerian child.
Health experts say the campaign is a critical milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward eliminating vaccine-preventable diseases and improving child survival rates nationwide.
