The National Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with state governments and development partners, has intensified efforts to vaccinate 106 million Nigerian children against vaccine-preventable diseases.

The nationwide initiative aims to raise awareness for the ongoing Integrated Measles-Rubella, Polio, and Human Papillomavirus vaccination campaign, which will run from October 2025 to February 2026.

This large-scale vaccination exercise reflects the agency’s commitment to ensuring that no child is left unprotected while strengthening partnerships between national and state health authorities to achieve improved health outcomes for children across the country.

On October 6, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who flagged off the Measles–Rubella campaign, described the exercise as a bold step toward protecting the lives and future of children.

Speaking during a road walk and health show in Abuja, the Director of Disease Control and Immunization at NPHCDA, Dr. Garuba Rufai, described the exercise as part of a broad awareness campaign currently taking place across 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“This is part of our awareness campaign for the measles-rubella integrated campaign that is currently ongoing in 11 states and the FCT.

“As we speak, in those 11 states and the FCT, children aged zero to 14 years are being vaccinated with the measles-rubella vaccine and the polio vaccine. The HPV vaccine is for girls aged nine to 14 years, alongside the routine immunization vaccines,” Dr. Rufai explained.

He added that the campaign is being implemented in collaboration with other health programmes, including malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).

“We are also collaborating with the malaria programme, and we are providing what we call seasonal malaria prophylaxis in a couple of the states. We’re also working with the NTDs programme to manage some of the diseases in states where they are prevalent,” he noted.

According to Dr. Rufai, several strategies have been deployed nationwide to ensure that the campaign reaches every eligible child.

“We have all of our social mobilization efforts, including the use of public announcement vans. We have engaged with communities and different groups — teachers, parents, physicians, ministries such as education, religious bodies, and traditional leaders,” he said.

He disclosed that similar road walks are being replicated across participating states, supported by state governments, the wives of governors, and local government chairpersons.

Rufai revealed that while the first phase of the campaign covers 11 states and the FCT, the next phase will commence soon.

“We intend to vaccinate 106 million Nigerians by the end of February. We’re starting with 11 states and the FCT now. By October 18, we’ll move to the next stream of states, which will complete the first phase for this year. By January next year, we’ll continue with phase two, and also in February,” he explained.

He urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the ongoing exercise.

“Nigerians should come out en masse and get their children vaccinated — not just for this campaign, but also by taking their children to health facilities for routine vaccines. The diseases are not waiting; they do not know any political party, religion, or tribe.

“When a child catches one of these diseases and develops complications, something as seemingly simple as measles can make a child go blind. Why would anyone wait for that to happen? Why would any woman allow herself to give birth to a child only to lose them before they reach their full potential?” he added.

The World Health Organization Coordinator for the FCT, Dr. Kumshida Balami, emphasised that vaccines are both safe and effective, stressing the need to eliminate diseases that should no longer claim lives in the 21st century.

“We cannot be in this century and still have children coming down with measles or polio. We cannot still have women dying from cervical cancer simply caused by the human papillomavirus — a disease that can be prevented through vaccination,” she said.

She further urged parents and caregivers to ensure that all eligible children receive the necessary vaccines, noting that the goal is to safeguard lives and build trust in the nation’s health system.

Similarly, the Director-General of the NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina, together with the Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, on Friday led a joint monitoring team to assess the progress of the ongoing vaccination campaign.

The monitoring team visited Primary Health Care Centres within and outside the FCT, including the Chikora North PHC in Kogi Local Government Area, Kogi State, and the New Township PHC in Abaji Area Council, Abuja.

A press statement released on Saturday and signed by Mrs. Bola Ajao, Special Adviser to Dr. Fasawe, noted that the team also visited surrounding communities, sensitizing mothers and caregivers on the importance of immunization and advising them to ensure their children are vaccinated and properly finger-marked as evidence of vaccination.

Dr. Aina commended the dedication of frontline health workers and encouraged them to maintain accuracy and honesty in data reporting, stressing that verified data — whether targets are achieved or not — are crucial for effective planning and sustainable health sector improvement.

He explained that the monitoring visits were designed to evaluate coverage levels and workforce commitment, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, and to ensure credible, on-the-spot assessments of field operations.

Aina further assured health providers that the Federal Government is aware of their challenges and is taking steps to address them under the Renewed Hope Health Reform Agenda of the present administration, aimed at delivering equitable and efficient healthcare services across the nation.

“At the New Township PHC, Abaji, Dr. Fasawe personally administered vaccines to infants and sensitized mothers on the importance of routine immunization to prevent child-killer diseases and avoidable deaths. She urged parents to spread the message within their communities, noting that unvaccinated children remain at high risk of contracting measles (rubeola) and rubella (German measles) — viral infections that can lead to blindness, brain damage, hearing loss, congenital defects, and even death.

“Both health leaders commended the turnout and coverage recorded by the vaccination teams so far, urging them to remain proactive and adhere strictly to safety standards. During the visit, the delegation also attended to a 13-year-old patient at the Kogi PHC and recommended follow-up care to ensure effective service delivery,” the statement highlighted.

The Federal Government has flagged off the campaign for measles, polio, HPV immunisation vaccines, and other neglected tropical diseases interventions across the country.

The event was held on Monday at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

It aims to eliminate measles by the year 2030 through strengthened routine immunisation, enhanced surveillance and outbreak response, integration of measles and rubella initiatives into primary health care, and promotion of innovative technologies.

With 16 million children expected to be vaccinated during the exercise, the integrated campaign targets children between the ages of nine and 14 years with the Measles Rubella vaccines.

Others include the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Daniel Okoh; and the representatives of the international development partners, among others.

The tiny seeds are actually edible and have a strong flavor, like a cross between mustard and black peppercorns. In fact, they can be used as a substitute for black pepper.

The seeds are rich in phenolic and flavonoid compounds, protein, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. They also exhibit strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic and antibacterial effects.

These value-packed seeds are enriched with a host of compounds, protein, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. These black morsels are powerhouses of enzymes that are a natural remedy for promoting digestive health, destroying parasites, battling cancer, relieving inflammation, and detoxifying the liver.

How to Eat Papaya Seeds👇

Raw: The simplest option is to scoop out the seeds directly from the cut fruit and eat them along with the fruit.

Pounded: You can also collect all the seeds from a papaya and pound them using a mortar and pestle. The pounded seeds can be stored in a small jar in the refrigerator for about a week. You can also store them in the freezer so they last longer, and thaw them out before using them in salads, smoothies or soups.

Dried and ground into powder: Another option is to dry the seeds in the sun or using a food dehydrator. When dried, grind them into a powder form using a food processor. The powdered papaya seeds can be added to salads, smoothies and soups. You can also use powdered papaya seeds to season steak, chicken or pork before you cook the meat.

How Much of the Papaya Seeds to Eat in a Day👇

As papaya seeds are very rich in antibacterial properties, you must not consume them in excess or else it can cause side effects like diarrhea.

Limit yourself to no more than a total of 1 to 2 tablespoons of papaya seeds in any form each day. Actually, it is best to start with a small amount and gradually increase to 2 tablespoons.

1. Improves Digestive Health👇

The high amount of digestive enzymes in papaya seeds helps break down protein fibers and aids the natural digestion process.

As the seeds have antibacterial properties, they are effective against E.coli, salmonella and staphylococcus infections. Thus, the seeds can help combat food poisoning by killing the pathogens in your system that are causing the problem.

Also, the seeds help normalize the acidic environment in the intestinal tract, which is important for a healthy digestive system.

Eating 1 tablespoon of papaya seeds daily is all that you need to keep your digestive system working properly.

2. Fights Intestinal Parasites👇

Papaya seeds are rich in proteolytic enzymes that can help get rid of intestinal parasites. This enzyme helps break down protein in the body as well as the parasites and their eggs

A 2007 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food reports that air-dried Carica papaya seeds are effective against human intestinal parasites without significant side effects. However, large-scale intervention studies are still needed.

Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of papaya seed powder into 1 cup of warm milk or water. Drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for 3 days to help clear a parasite infection.

3. Prevents Cancer👇

The phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the seeds offer high antioxidant properties that help slow the growth of tumor cells.

The phytonutrient isothiocyanate in papaya seeds, in particular, helps inhibit cancer as it reduces the activation of carcinogens and increases their detoxification.

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The seeds can have potential anticancer effects against a broad range of tumors, including cancers of the breast, colon, lung, and prostate.

4. Reduces Inflammation👇

As with the papaya fruit, its seeds have powerful anti-inflammatory properties that help get rid of inflammation in the body.

the enzymes—papain and chymopapain – are key to reducing inflammation associated with conditions like arthritis, joint pain, gout and asthma.

you suffer from inflammation due to arthritis or gout,

eat at least 1 tablespoon of papaya seeds daily.

5. Detoxifies the Liver👇

Papaya seeds also help detoxify your liver and kidneys. They contain proteolytic enzymes that help reduce digestive load on the liver.

n fact, the seeds are considered beneficial for managing cirrhosis of the liver.

Grind some fresh papaya seeds to extract 1 tablespoon of juice.

Mix 10 drops of fresh lemon juice in it.👇

Drink this juice once or twice daily for 1 month to detoxify your liver. It can also help prevent and heal liver cirrhosis

Improves Fertility👇

Various study and decade-long research has shown that consuming papaya with the right dose of intake can greatly increase sperm production for a man. It works similarly for women also, where eating papaya seed can help to maintain woman’s fertility of the eggs. In Asia, especially in the southern parts, it is common to use to consume papaya seed whenever one desires to be fertile.

Stronger Bones👇

Papaya seeds are like any other fruit seeds are rich of protein and calcium. Taking regular intake of papaya seeds will bring health benefit for our body such as stronger bones and stronger muscles at the same time. This is due to the fact that our body needs to consume protein and calcium to grow bones and muscles, and those protein and calcium can be derived from consuming papaya and papaya seeds

Rich of Enzymes👇

Papaya seeds are rich with high levels of proteolytic enzymes that can help in getting rid of parasites residing in our body. The same strong enzyme can be found in papain also. Both of the enzyme’s source work the same way, both of them breaks down protein in our body and it may also break down parasites and their eggs.

Detox👇

Consuming papaya and papaya seeds will help in our body detox. Even just small amount or small portion of it, it will effectively help our body to detox and makes our body free from any kind of toxic that plagues our body.

Keeps The Bacteria Away👇

Even a small portion of papaya seed will help in preventing bacteria from multiplying and residing in our body. The bad bacteria that we do not want in our body such as e.coli can be easily killed by consuming papaya seeds. And to your surprise, papaya seeds is also good when you have food poisoning as it will help to keep the bacteria away and helps in detoxification.

Prevent Kidney Disease👇

As papaya seeds are healthy for our internal organs, professors from the University of Karachi has concluded that papaya seeds and its fruit can cure kidney disease and minimize the possibility of renal failure and work effectively for kidney poisoning case. Imagine some small seeds can cure such a complex health disorder.

Minimize The Risk of Cancer👇

The milky sap that papaya seeds produce are great to prevent cancer cells from growing due to the substance that it contains, acetogenin. There have been many studies shown that papaya seeds and papaya leaves are effective in battling cancer and preventing cancer from happening. Most people in Japan drink papaya leaf tea for prolonged period, and they add a little bit of papaya seeds on top of it to maintain a healthy body.

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Remedy For Your Acne👇

Remember the acnes problem when your hormone are not stable? Well, that can be cured by consuming papaya seeds. If you are familiar with having acne, try to take papaya leaves and papaya seeds, blend them together and add some water. Apply the lotion to the acne-infected area, and leave it dry for few minutes. After 10 minutes, do not forget to wash off the residual of the lotion to make sure your acne are well-treated.

Minimize Menstrual Pain👇

Consuming papaya seeds is believed to ease the menstrual pain for women. It would be better if you mix it with papaya leave, add little honey to make it taste better. Let it chill for a while before drinking it. Because cold beverages are the best, especially the healthy ones.

Cure Dengue👇

Dengue are one of the most unpredictable and dangerous disease that are spread in most areas in Asia. Papaya seeds and papaya leaves can help to cure dengue as it will increase the level of your blood. It is best used to be consumed when dengue fever attacks.

Skin Problems👇

Papaya seeds will help your skin to be wrinkle-free and prevent aging. The nutrients inside papaya seeds can help your body and your skin to rejuvenate better as some of the nutrients from your body will not be easily regenerated by your own body as it gets older. By adding external sources like papaya seed, it will help in regenerating the old and dead skin cells hence maintain the beauty of your skin.

Increase Appetite For Food👇

Consuming papaya seeds daily will help to build your appetite as well. Papaya increase your vigor and vitality to your body.

Prevent Aging👇

Papaya seeds are rich with various amino acids such as glycine, leucine, etc that are good for your skin. It will help to minimize the effect of aging and in the long run it will help to prevent your skin from aging. This is great especially for those who really care about cosmetics, because the best cosmetics are from the Mother Nature.

Rich of Nutrients👇

Papaya as a fruit contains whole lot of nutrients that are used by our body to regenerate healthy and young cells and it will help our body in rejuvenating. Papaya seed, especially contains almost 80% of the nutrients that our body consume. Hence, it goes without saying that consuming papaya seed is one of the best yet simple treatment that we can do to help our body stay healthy and young.

Cure Eye-Disorder👇

Papaya seeds surprisingly can cure disease related to our eyes as well. Papaya seeds and papaya leaves help in regenerating the cells and providing nutrients needed by our eyes to stay healthy and to recover from any eye-related diseases such as cataracts.