Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, the Executive Secretary of the Ogun State Primary Health Care Board, has urged the state’s residents to actively support the forthcoming free Human Papillomavirus Vaccination program, set to commence on October 24 across 16 states in the country.
Ogunsola emphasized that the vaccination campaign will exclusively target girls aged nine to 14, providing them with the HPV vaccine, which is effective in preventing approximately 95 percent of cervical cancer cases.
HPV is known to be highly efficient in guarding against infections from the sexually transmitted Human Papillomavirus, which is responsible for approximately 95 percent of cervical cancer cases in women. Cervical cancer accounts for approximately 17 percent of cancer cases, ranking second only to breast cancer, and claims the lives of an estimated 300,000 women in Nigeria.
During a media briefing held at the Governor’s Office in Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, on Tuesday, Ogunsola clarified that the new vaccine is secure, free, and will significantly contribute to reducing the financial and health burden associated with managing cancer across the nation.
He said, “During this vaccination campaign which is starting on October 24, our girls between the ages of nine and 14 are the target, they are believed not to have been sexually active because this vaccination is about prevention from the infection of the Human papillomavirus which is sexually transmitted and causes cervical cancer.
“This vaccination campaign is about securing the future of our young girls against the heavy burden of cervical cancer and the vaccine is safe. Our parents and guardians should allow their female children to take this vaccine because it is safe. Both the federal and state governments have committed a lot of resources to this programme and we should not allow this waste.
“A shot of this vaccine costs over N50,000 outside and you will have to take two which is over N100,000 but the type being given by the government is superior. It required just a shot and you are good to go. So, we should all support the government to make this campaign a success and of course, further drive down incidences of cervical cancer in the country.”
Speaking at the event, the Director, Ogun State Primary Health Care, Dr Salmat Sanni, added that Ogun state is among the 16 states chosen by the Federal Government for the first phase of the vaccination programme.
Sanni said that the state is targeting about 500,000 girls for the first phase of the vaccination programme.
She noted that the health officials will be going to both private and public schools, churches, mosques, and homes to administer the vaccine while people can also get vaccinated in government health centres across the state.
Like any other vaccine, HPV, she said may however cause very minimal side effects which are temporary such as pain, mild fever, headaches, redness or swelling of the injection site, and fatigue among others. However, cases of severe side effects which are very rare should be reported to the appropriate health facility.
