By Oluseye Ojo
The Oyo State Government has launched the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccine into the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI), aiming to vaccinate over 639,049 girls between nine and 14 years old in the state.
The Executive Secretary, Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Muideen Olatunji, who spoke at a press conference in Ibadan, emphasised the importance of tackling cervical cancer, which is one of the most common forms of cancer affecting women.
The vaccination programme was officially launched at St. Paul Anglican Primary School, Yanbule, Bashorun, on Monday, where over 300 pupils were vaccinated.
Olatunji urged parents and guardians to take advantage of the opportunity to vaccinate their daughters in order to prevent them from contracting cervical cancer.
He also stressed the need for regular cervical cancer screenings for sexually active women.
Olatunji expressed gratitude to both the federal and state governments for introducing the HPV vaccine, stating that it would protect future generations of Nigerian girls and women from the dangerous disease.
He reassured residents that the vaccine is safe and free, and would be available in all healthcare facilities across the state within five days. He added that there would be continuous vaccination at the primary healthcare centres across the state after the five-day kick-off.
Acknowledging the partnerships with development partners, Olatunji emphasised that the campaign targets young girls between the ages of nine and 14.
He assured the public that the vaccine is not designed to reduce the population but is meant to protect young girls and citizens of the state from the prevalence of cervical cancer.
“It is pertinent to reiterate that the vaccine is not designed to reduce the population of the state. This is a demonstration of our continued partnership and indeed, collective efforts to protect young girls and citizens of the state against the prevalence of cervical cancer disease.
“HPV, which causes cervical cancer, is preventable. So, what we are doing is cost-effective, and safe so that we don’t have to wait for treatment or management when cancer has set it. Prevention is better than treatment and cure,” he said.
The vaccine, acceding to him, would be administered as a single dose on the left upper arm, with no serious reactions expected, adding that the vaccine has a 90 per cent effectiveness rate in protecting girls from cervical cancer.
Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and other development partners expressed their continued support for the immunization programme, and they emphasised its importance for the wellbeing of young girls and women in the state.
