The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that it is poised to introduce the Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine (HPVV) to the 36 states of the federation to protect girls aged between 9-14 years against cervical cancer caused by human virus.
The WHO’s HPVV Consultant in Nigeria, Dr. Winifred Uzoamaka Onodu, disclosed this during a media orientation and sensitization on Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine programme in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Onodu listed states that would benefit from the first phase which will be flagged off on October 24 to include: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Enugu, Jigawa, Kano, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Taraba States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The programme will be launched in the remaining states of Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti,Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara next year.
Onodu explained that only girls are targeted for the vaccine programme due to its global shortage, stressing that Nigeria is not prioritizing boys for now due to the high burden of cervical cancer disease in females.
She explained that a single dose of Gardasil being introduced in the country will be administered to eligible girls, while those (girls) with health-related conditions like HIV/AIDS will require two doses.
The WHO consultant, however, informed that the vaccine may cause very minimal side effects including pain, redness or swelling at the injection site, mild fever, headache, fatigue and muscle or joint pain which she said are temporary.
