Posted on: Thu 01-05-2025

In a country where preventable diseases still claim young lives, Nasarawa State’s full endorsement of the Federal Government’s upcoming measles-rubella vaccination campaign is a welcome breath of sanity. At a time when vaccine hesitancy and misinformation remain serious threats to public health, Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration is sending the right message: health is not negotiable, and prevention is always better than crisis response.

During a stakeholders' meeting in Lafia, Governor Sule—represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Emmanuel Akabe—committed to making the measles-rubella vaccine available in all health facilities across Nasarawa's 13 local government areas. It’s a move that goes beyond politics or optics. This is about saving lives, especially those of children, who remain the most vulnerable in our communities.

Let’s be clear: measles and rubella aren’t just childhood illnesses. They’re highly contagious diseases that can lead to lifelong complications—deafness, blindness, brain damage, and even death. The fact that such outcomes are still occurring in parts of Nigeria in 2025 is a painful reminder of the gaps we urgently need to close.

What makes Nasarawa’s approach so commendable is its community-first mindset. The government is not just calling on health officials—it’s involving local chairmen, traditional and religious leaders, women’s groups, and caregivers. This is the kind of multi-level mobilisation that public health experts have long advocated for but rarely see in action. When leaders speak up—and back their words with action—communities listen.

The governor’s words cut to the heart of the matter: “No amount of money is too much to meet the health needs of our people.” In a country where budget constraints are too often used to excuse healthcare inaction, this statement feels refreshingly bold. It also reflects an understanding that a healthy population is not just a social asset, but an economic one.

Dr. Usman Iskilu, Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, underscored this commitment by hailing the measles-rubella vaccine as a “two-in-one solution” to some of the most dangerous childhood diseases. His focus on sustained commitment and grassroots mobilisation is exactly what’s needed to turn vaccine campaigns into lasting public health wins.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Gaza Gwamna, struck a sobering note with his account of a recent measles outbreak in Rukubi community. That it could still happen—despite years of effort to boost immunisation—is proof that we can’t afford to take our foot off the gas. His optimism that Nasarawa will lead in the national vaccination effort, as it did during the COVID-19 campaign, should not just be a goal. It should be an expectation.

In a nation where health policy often suffers from weak follow-through, Nasarawa is setting an example of what it means to act before disaster strikes. The October rollout of the measles-rubella vaccine into the routine immunisation schedule could be a defining moment—not just for the state, but for Nigeria’s broader public health system.

The real question now is: Will other states follow Nasarawa’s lead? Because if there was ever a time to unite around health security, it’s now.

---

---