Sule backs FG-Gavi measles-rubella vaccination campaign in Nasarawa

Sule backs FG-Gavi measles-rubella vaccination campaign in Nasarawa - The Nation Newspaper (2025)

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April 13, 2025 by Linus Oota, Lafia

Nasarawa Gov Sule

…urges citizens to support initiative

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has thrown his weight behind the upcoming federal government and Gavi-supported immunization campaign aimed at eliminating measles and rubella, set to launch in October this year.

Governor Sule gave his endorsement over the weekend during a ceremony at the Government House in Lafia.

The event followed an advocacy visit led by the Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Usman Iskilu.

Also present were officials from the Centre for the Wellbeing and Integrated Nutrition Solutions (C-WINS), the Governor’s wife, Hajiya Silifat Abdullahi Sule, and wives of local government council chairmen.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to prioritizing public health, especially that of children, Governor Sule urged residents to embrace the vaccination initiative.

He emphasised that the campaign, supported by both the Federal and State Governments alongside development partners, is crucial to safeguarding the lives of children across the state.

“I strongly endorse the measles-rubella vaccine to be introduced by the Federal Government, the state government and development partners in October, 2025. Measles and rubella are highly contagious that can cause deafness, blindness, heart defects, brain damage and even death in children.

“Thankfully, the measles-rubella vaccine provides safe and effective protection. I urge all parents, guardians and care givers to ensure that children aged 9 months to 15 years receive this lifesaving vaccine during this campaign,” he stated.

He reiterated that vaccination not only protects children but also strengthens both the economy and the healthcare system of the state.

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“In line with the renewed hope agenda of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu our government is committed to making this vaccine available and accessible. I call on our traditional, religious leaders, health workers, community influencers to support this campaign to ensure full coverage. Together we can eliminate measles-rubella from Nasarawa State,” he said.

Governor Sule pointed out that no amount of money is too much to provide the health needs of the people of the state, recalling the earlier efforts of his administration to partner with Gavi towards setting up a vaccine production factory in the state.

“We are not the richest state but we are one state that is rich in our commitment. Our commitment is to ensure that all these little children that have come to the world through Nasarawa State are given the proper care to develop soundly. We are so committed to vaccination to the extend that we are thinking of Gavi setting up a vaccines production factory in Nasarawa State,” he said.

The Governor mandated the officials of the Nasarawa Primary Health Care Development Agency to picked up the matter, adding that Nasarawa State is willing to enter into a PPP arrangement with Gavi, provide a land and other things so that the state would be part of the factory.

He commended both the healthcare workers, as well as wives of local government chairmen for embarking on advocacy ahead of the official launch of the new vaccine in October.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Usman Iskilu, Executive Secretary, Nasarawa Primary Health Care Development Agency, said the Governor has clearly demonstrated his love and care for children in the state by endorsing the campaign for vaccination.

The Executive Secretary described measles-rubella as a viral disease that affects children and could lead to deafness, blindness, heart defect and brain damage which is hard to manage.