The Federal Government of Nigeria has embarked on a monumental public health initiative, launching what it describes as Africa’s biggest integrated health campaign. This ambitious program targets over 100 million Nigerian children for vaccination against a spectrum of preventable diseases, including measles, rubella, polio, and the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, marked this launch as a "historic moment" for Nigeria's health system and the most extensive integrated campaign ever conducted on the African continent. Speaking at the national flag-off ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Pate emphasized that the initiative, spearheaded by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), is more than just a vaccination drive. It is a comprehensive effort to deliver multiple vaccines and health services concurrently, aiming to "reimagine how we deliver health services to our people—getting as close to them as we can and ensuring that no one is left behind."

Initially conceived as a measles and rubella campaign, the program significantly expanded under the leadership of NPHCDA's Executive Director, Dr. Muyi Aina, to incorporate polio, malaria, HPV, routine immunisation, and the treatment of neglected tropical diseases. Minister Pate underscored the importance of addressing these "diseases of neglected people," highlighting the campaign's commitment to changing this narrative and protecting millions of children and families.

Professor Pate attributed the success and scope of this milestone to President Bola Tinubu’s vision and commitment. He stated that the President's Renewed Hope Agenda has strategically repositioned health as a core pillar of national development, fostering an environment for transformative health sector reforms. Evidence of this prioritization includes a nearly fourfold increase in primary health care facility utilization, surging from 10 million visits per quarter in 2023 to 47 million in the second quarter of 2025.

The campaign also acknowledges the critical involvement of the First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, for her dedicated efforts and personal investment in advancing women’s and children’s health nationwide. Her active championing of tuberculosis awareness, HPV vaccination, cervical cancer prevention, and the triple elimination of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis in mothers and newborns was highly commended.

Recent achievements supporting this integrated approach include the government's collaboration with states and development partners to establish 4,800 fully functional primary health centres by the end of 2025. Additionally, over 15,000 women have benefited from the Free Emergency Obstetric Care Initiative, which provides life-saving caesarean sections, and the Mothers and Babies Implementation (MaMi) Programme supports hundreds of thousands of pregnant women across the country.

In a related development, Kano State has intensified its efforts to eliminate measles and rubella by 2030, targeting approximately 7.8 million children aged 9 months to 14 years for vaccination against these diseases. Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, the State Commissioner for Health, announced this during the routine immunization campaign’s take-off ceremony in Tofa local government area. Kano State also aims to cover 3.9 million children with the polio vaccine. Dr. Labaran stressed the highly contagious and dangerous nature of measles and rubella, noting that rubella, often overlooked in children and pregnant women, can lead to severe complications like blindness, deafness, heart defects, and mental disorders. He affirmed the government’s commitment to sustained immunization as the most effective public health protection and warned that constitutional provisions would be enforced to prosecute parents or guardians who refuse to vaccinate their children.

Minister Pate urged all parents to ensure their children receive the necessary vaccines, describing immunization as "safe, effective, and life-saving." He called upon the public to resist misinformation and protect children, emphasizing that every parent desires the best for their child. He also extended gratitude to Nigeria’s frontline health workers for their sacrifices, state governors, health commissioners, local government chairmen, traditional and religious leaders like the Sultan of Sokoto and the Ooni of Ife, and development partners including UNICEF, WHO, Gavi, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their invaluable support.

As the First Lady officially flagged off the campaign, Minister Pate called for full ownership and accountability from state governments. He concluded by affirming that this integrated campaign will "save lives, reduce suffering, prevent both physical and financial pain, and advance the vision of health for all Nigerians."