FG To Introduce HPV Vaccines September 25

The Federal Government will on September 25, 2023, introduce the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) to prevent cervical cancer in women and girls.

The FG made this known on Monday at the bi-annual review meeting of religious leaders on Primary Healthcare delivery in Abuja.

The government disclosed that the administration of the HPV vaccine to girls between the ages of nine to 15 years would prevent them from coming down with cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix. Various strains of the HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, play a role in causing most cervical cancer.

The HPV vaccine has the potential to prevent more than 90 percent of HPV-attributable cancers.

The World Health Organisation said two HPV types (16 and 18), which are common in Nigeria, are responsible for nearly 50 percent of high-grade cervical pre-cancers. In Nigeria, an estimated 14,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 7,968 women die from the disease every year.

Speaking at the review meeting, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Pate, represented by the Senior Special Adviser to the Minister, Dr. Emmanuel Odu, said there was a need to blend the spiritual with scientific knowledge and skills to address health challenges.

He said, “I acknowledge the contributions of our faith-based community to healthcare delivery in the country, as we are aware that some of our religious organizations provide healthcare services at the primary, secondary, and even tertiary healthcare levels. This is most commendable, and I urge you to keep it up, as the government alone cannot do it.

“The FG under the leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, is determined to change the narrative by making health affordable and accessible to all Nigerians. We will therefore need the support of the faith community as we roll out the FG’s agenda for the health of our people. We will be relying on your influence to build trust and enhance community ownership of all our health interventions.”

In his remarks, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, urged religious leaders to help raise awareness in their congregations about the free HPV vaccination, dispel myths and misconceptions about the vaccine, and encourage their members to embrace better health-seeking behaviors.

Shuaib said, “On September 25 this year, we will be introducing the HPV vaccine that prevents cervical cancer when given to our daughters between the ages of nine and 15 years.

“In your roles as spiritual guides, you own the power to influence hearts and minds, and your words carry weight and inspire action. I urge you to join hands today with the medical community in championing the course of HPV vaccination nationwide. By encouraging HPV vaccination within your congregations, you become advocates of life and guardians of health. HPV vaccination is more than a medical breakthrough, but a testament to our unity and the sanctity of life.”