Measles-Rubella Vaccine: Political Leaders Urged To Mobilise Ahead of October Rollout
With the nationwide rollout of the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine scheduled for October 2025, the Centre for Well-Being and Integrated Nutrition Solutions (C-WINS) has called on political leaders and technocrats to take urgent steps in mobilising resources, aligning key agencies, and sustaining momentum.
The aim is to protect children aged nine months to 14 years from the twin threats of measles and rubella.
In a statement titled “From Policy to Protection: How Nigeria’s Political Will is Powering Nigeria’s Measles-Rubella Vaccine Rollout,” Head of Mission for the C-WINS Advocacy Project, Dr Mahmud Zubairu, emphasised that political will is the cornerstone of successful public health interventions.
C-WINS noted that Nigeria continues to record thousands of measles cases annually, with rubella, often misdiagnosed, potentially accounting for one in 10 of those cases.
When contracted during pregnancy, rubella can cause Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS), a condition that leads to irreversible congenital disabilities, including deafness, blindness, heart malformations, and intellectual disabilities in newborns.
“These are preventable tragedies,” said Zubairu. “The science is clear, and the tools are ready. What remains is decisive leadership to ensure every eligible child is vaccinated.”
Key federal agencies are already stepping up to support the nationwide immunisation campaign.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) is spearheading coordination efforts, ensuring alignment with the national communication strategy and working with the Ministries of Health, Education, Information, Women Affairs, and the Budget Office to facilitate smooth implementation.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has pledged to provide timely regulatory approvals and reinforce its monitoring systems to track any adverse reactions, thereby boosting public trust.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is providing real-time surveillance data to support messaging and ensure transparency, while the National Orientation Agency (NOA) is leading grassroots engagement through town hall meetings, especially in high-risk local government areas.
An advocacy meeting held on February 14, 2025, in Abuja brought together partners, including the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum, the Health Sector Reform Coalition, National Health Advocates, and the Director-General of the Budget Office, Mr Tanimu Yakubu.
During the meeting, Yakubu announced that the 2025 national budget had made provisions for Nigeria’s equity contribution to the campaign and promised timely release of funds to maintain cold chain systems and prevent logistical breakdowns.
The campaign also aims to reach vulnerable groups that have often been overlooked in previous immunisation efforts. C-WINS revealed that the Federal Ministry of Youth Development has committed to incorporating immunisation education into the orientation programmes for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and to developing initiatives that bring out-of-school and street children into health safety nets, including health insurance coverage.
The Federal Ministry of Information and its agencies are poised to lead a mass sensitisation campaign, utilising media, schools, women’s groups, and special outreach programmes to combat misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.
C-WINS emphasised the importance of cross-sector collaboration and a systemic approach to ensure sustainable immunisation coverage.
Despite strong inter-agency coordination, C-WINS cautioned that persistent issues, such as cold chain gaps in rural communities, competition for limited health funding, and frequent leadership changes, pose risks to the campaign’s success.
To mitigate these challenges, the Centre urged state governments to replicate the federal commitment by including MR vaccine funding in their budgets and to participate proactively in planning and execution at the local level.
“The path to eliminating measles and rubella is paved not only with vaccines but with policy alignment, leadership action, and sustained public engagement,” said Zubairu. “Governors, first ladies, and heads of ministries must not only support but actively champion this cause.”
He called on citizens to hold their elected officials accountable through town hall engagements and public advocacy, adding, “When leadership aligns with science, public health victories become not only possible but inevitable.”
