NEWS
Kwara Vaccinates 787 School Girls against Cervical Cancer
No fewer than 787 girls selected from Kwara Basic Schools on Monday received the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine to prevent cervical cancer in Ilorin, the state capital.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency in partnership with the Kwara State government on Monday flagged off the introduction of a free HPV vaccine against cervical cancer among school children in the state.
At the rollout of the HPV vaccine in Ilorin, the state capital, the executive director of the NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, said that cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally and the second most common cancer affecting women in Nigeria.
He said that a total of 787 schoolchildren were vaccinated at the flag-off.
Aina, who was represented by Sheu Hassan, said that the HPV vaccine is very important, adding that “it prevents the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract and causes more than 95 per cent of cases of cervical cancer”.
He said that all eligible girls between the ages of 9-14 years across 193 wards in the 16 local government areas of Kwara State will be vaccinated against cervical cancer during the five days programme.
“I believe that together, we will achieve the goal of this exercise. At least 80% of eligible girls aged 9 to 14 years will be reached during the five-day intensification, after which the HPV vaccines will be accessed by our girls through routine immunization services in our PHC facilities.
“Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally and the second most common cancer affecting women in Nigeria. It is estimated that 604,000 cases with 342,000 deaths occurred globally in 2020, and an estimated 12,075 cases and 7,968 deaths were recorded in Nigeria”.
The NPHCDA boss, who said that the HPV vaccine is free, safe, and effective, urged stakeholders to mobilise family members, friends, and communities to ensure that all eligible girls get vaccinated.