The wife of Niger State Governor, Fatima Umaru Bago, has unveiled the Sensitisation Campaign on the Measles-Rubella Vaccine as well as launched Midwives’ Scrubs and Kits aimed at improving child and maternal health outcomes across the twenty local councils of the state.
Fatima, while flagging off the campaign in Minna on Thursday, 24th July 2025, stated that health is a shared responsibility, stressing that the fight against vaccine-preventable diseases requires collective efforts from government, health workers, traditional leaders, families, as well as communities, among others.
Bago noted that the event is a vital step in the state’s commitment to reducing childhood illnesses and maternal mortality, saying the dual focus on immunization and frontline healthcare support underscores the state’s resolve to strengthen its primary healthcare system.
“Health is a shared responsibility. The fight against vaccine-preventable diseases requires efforts of government, health workers, traditional leaders, families, and communities — all have a role to play,” she said.
As a member of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum, the First Lady reaffirmed their collective resolve to protect children under five through timely immunization.
She emphasized the dangers of measles and rubella, highlighting the severe consequences of rubella infection in pregnant women, and appealed to everyone to serve as ambassadors for the vaccine’s uptake and awareness.
The governor’s wife lauded the Renewed Hope Initiative of the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, whose intervention facilitated the distribution of Midwives’ Scrubs and Kits to health workers nationwide.
“Midwives are the silent heroes of our healthcare system. Supporting them with the right tools uplifts their morale and enhances the quality of care for mothers and newborns,” she said.
She enjoined the wives of local government chairmen to spearhead grassroots sensitization by engaging families, visiting health centres, and ensuring every eligible child aged 9 months to 14 years is vaccinated.
The First Lady further maintained that Governor Umaru Bago remains committed to providing equitable and quality healthcare for all the citizens of the state.
In his remarks, the North Central Consultant for Measles-Rubella Vaccine Advocacy from the Centre for Well-being and Integrated Nutrition Solutions, Dr. Isah Yahaya Vatsa, had earlier presented a paper on the nature of measles and rubella and their severe complications, which include blindness, deafness, brain damage, and death.
Vatsa cautioned that rubella poses a particular threat to pregnant women, potentially leading to birth defects such as blindness, deafness, or congenital heart problems in infants.
He also stressed the importance of vaccinating all children between the ages of 9 months and 15 years, as recommended in the upcoming national rollout scheduled for October 2025.
Dr. Yahaya added, “After the nationwide campaign, the Measles-Rubella vaccine will become part of Nigeria’s routine immunization schedule, administered at 9 months and again at 15 months.”
Also speaking, Commissioner, Ministry for Primary Health Care, Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Dangana, described the launch as a significant milestone in the state’s mission to safeguard the health of its children.
“Measles and rubella are two devastating childhood killer diseases that have claimed countless lives and caused untold suffering,” he said, adding that, “By introducing this vaccine, we are taking a proactive step to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality and to ensure our children enjoy a healthier future.”
Dr. Ibrahim affirmed the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, citing its potential to prevent outbreaks, disabilities, and long-term complications while enhancing public health outcomes.
Highlights of the event include the symbolic distribution of 3,000 professional kits to midwives across the twenty-five local councils of the state, as well as the conferment of Measles-Rubella Vaccine Champions on the wives of the chairmen.
