Nigerian Health Minister says the campaign targets 100 million children for measles, polio, HPV, and other vaccines under President Tinubu’s health reforms.
Nigeria has launched what officials describe as Africa’s most ambitious integrated health campaign, aiming to vaccinate more than 100 million children against preventable diseases including measles, rubella, polio, and the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
The initiative, unveiled at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, marks a milestone in the country’s health sector reform. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said the campaign represents “a historic moment” for Nigeria and the continent.
Led by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the campaign seeks to deliver multiple vaccines and essential health services simultaneously. “This is not only about vaccination,” Pate said. “It is about reimagining how we deliver health services—getting as close to the people as we can and ensuring that no one is left behind.”
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He credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership for placing health at the center of Nigeria’s national development through his Renewed Hope Agenda. Pate said the administration’s reforms have strengthened the primary health care system, with facility visits rising from 10 million per quarter in 2023 to 47 million by mid-2025—a nearly fourfold increase.
“These are not merely neglected tropical diseases—they are diseases of neglected people,” the minister added. “This campaign is an effort to change that.”
The integrated drive, one of the largest in Nigeria’s history, is expected to protect millions of families and children across the country. Pate also commended First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu for her commitment to improving women’s and children’s health, noting her active role in the campaign.
He highlighted several complementary programs, including plans to establish 4,800 fully functional primary health centers by the end of 2025 and the Free Emergency Obstetric Care Initiative, which has provided over 15,000 women with life-saving caesarean sections. The Mothers and Babies Implementation (MaMi) Program, he said, continues to support hundreds of thousands of pregnant women nationwide.
Pate urged parents to take advantage of the campaign and ensure their children receive all necessary vaccines. “Every parent desires what is best for their child,” he said. “Immunization is safe, effective, and life-saving. Let us protect our children with the truth, not misinformation.”
