The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its full backing for the nationwide Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign scheduled to take place in October 2025, with a strong promise to provide strategic communication and advocacy support aimed at enhancing public awareness and uptake.
This assurance was given by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, during a courtesy call by officials from the Centre for Well-Being and Integrated Nutrition Solutions (C-WINS) at his office in Abuja on Tuesday. The Minister, visibly moved by the presentations made during the visit, commended the C-WINS team for their commitment to advancing public health and child welfare in Nigeria. He noted that the Ministry stands ready to collaborate closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the message about the importance of the MR vaccine reaches every corner of the country.
“You have come to the right place,” the Minister stated, as he reaffirmed the Ministry’s core mandate of sensitization and national reorientation. He further emphasized that the Ministry, alongside agencies such as the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and public-owned media organisations, would be mobilised to champion a robust nationwide campaign. According to him, many Nigerians remain unaware of the grave consequences of rubella infection, particularly among pregnant women, and there is a pressing need to close this gap in public knowledge.
He remarked, “Before today, I was familiar with measles, but like many Nigerians, I didn’t fully understand the dangers posed by rubella. The fact that unborn children can suffer lifelong disabilities such as blindness, deafness, or heart defects due to a mother’s rubella infection is a national concern that demands urgent attention.”
The Minister also called for a strategic and sustained collaboration with C-WINS, stating that the Ministry was not interested in one-off interventions but in building long-term, high-impact partnerships that would save lives. He tasked his communication teams to work hand-in-hand with C-WINS to co-create culturally relevant messaging and ensure that accurate information on the MR vaccine reaches Nigerians through trusted platforms, both traditional and digital.
Earlier in her address, Dr. Nihinlola Mabogunje, who led the C-WINS delegation, provided an evidence-based presentation on the urgent need for mass sensitization ahead of the campaign. She highlighted that measles remains one of the leading causes of death among Nigerian children, particularly in malnourished and immunocompromised populations. Nigeria currently accounts for an alarming 20% of global measles cases, with the Northeast region alone bearing over 60% of the national burden.
Dr. Mabogunje also drew attention to rubella as a largely neglected yet devastating virus, especially for pregnant women. She explained that when rubella infection occurs during the first trimester, it can lead to Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS), a condition responsible for severe birth defects including blindness, deafness, and congenital heart disease. Stressing the urgency of public awareness, she noted that many Nigerians are unfamiliar with the rubella virus, which poses significant threats to maternal and child health.
She reassured the Minister and the Nigerian public about the safety and global efficacy of the Measles-Rubella vaccine. According to her, the vaccine has been used worldwide for more than five decades, saving over 94 million lives across various regions. She also acknowledged the rigorous evaluation by Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which has certified the MR vaccine as safe for use within the country.
Dr. Mabogunje urged the Ministry to spearhead a nationwide information drive to dispel vaccine misinformation and to build public trust through grassroots and media engagement. She emphasized that to achieve the target of 95% vaccination coverage, it is critical that messaging is consistent, evidence-based, and accessible to everyday Nigerians, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
In response, the Honourable Minister gave immediate directives for the Ministry’s communication experts to liaise with C-WINS and begin work on developing informative and culturally relevant public education materials. These would be disseminated through a mix of public and private media channels to ensure nationwide reach ahead of the October rollout.
