Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has pledged his administration’s commitment to introducing the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine in the upcoming statewide immunization campaign, aimed at strengthening child health in the state.
He made the pledge during a stakeholders’ engagement on the integration of the Measles-Rubella vaccine into routine immunization in Kaduna.
Governor Uba Sani, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, commended the National Primary Health Care Development Agency for its decision to include the MR vaccine in the national routine immunization schedule.
Uba Sani described the decision as a bold step in the right direction, aimed at giving every child in Nigeria a fighting chance at life.
The Governor emphasized that the government cannot win this battle alone, stressing the need for collaboration among all stakeholders to collectively tackle the disease.
He noted that, as of January 31, 2025, a total of 627 suspected measles cases had been recorded in 213 local government areas across 30 states in the country.
UBA Sani lamented that the cases and deaths that have been recorded in kaduna state in 2025 are not just statistics, but they were children with names, dreams and futures that have now been cut short.
Meanwhile, in her welcome address, the Commissioner of Health, Hajiya Umma Ahmad, noted that measles and rubella remain serious public health concerns, particularly for the most vulnerable and children under five and pregnant women.
According to her, the good news is that both diseases are vaccine-preventable.
The Commissioner also commended the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, National Programme on Immunization, the international partners that included UNICEF, WHO and other agencies for providing critical technical and financial assistance for immunization programs in the state.
The engagement meeting was graced by top government functionaries, Policy makers health workers among many others.
COV/MANSUR SULEIMAN PAKI
