Niger State Government has advised parents to mobilize their children for the upcoming Measles, Rubella, MR, vaccination campaign.
The 10-day vaccination campaign is set to commence on Monday, October 6, 2025, in Niger and Nasarawa states.
To ensure the success of the programme, the government engaged critical stakeholders including media practitioners, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund, World Health Organization, GAVI and other development partners in Minna, the state capital.
Officially endorsing the campaign, Governor Mohammad Umaru Bago emphasized the serious implications of measles and rubella while affirming the safety and efficacy of the MR vaccine.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring the vaccine is widely available across the state.
The Incident Manager of the Niger State Emergency Operations Centre, EOC, Dr. Fatima Ibrahim, in her remarks during the Media Dialogue stressed the importance importance of the MR vaccine in enhancing public health in combating the diseases in the state.
She stated that rubella disease is a threat to pregnant women, insisting that it can result to serious Congenital Rubella Syndrome, CRS, leading to babies born blind, deaf or with severe heart abnormalities.
Ibrahim also noted that the vaccine is safe, government-funded, and free for eligible children aged nine months to 14 years.
According to her, “With the introduction of the MR vaccine, we now have an additional, powerful tool to combat these diseases and safeguard future generations. It will be provided at no additional charge.”
Also, the Chief of Kaduna Field Office, Dr Gerida Birukila, represented by UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr Ahmed Tsofo, emphasized the critical role of the media in the campaign, saying they can help build trust in public health and make vaccination a community value.
She appealed to the media to help mobilize parents caregivers and communities, counter myths and disinformation, by amplifying accurate information about the vaccine to the people.
Birukila stated, “Your voice can break down myths and misinformation. Your platforms can build trust in public health and you can make vaccination not just a medical necessity but a parental duty and a community value proudly upheld.”
