The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says it is targeting about 6 millions girls aged 9-14 years with over 6million doses of Gardasil HPV vaccine and essential supplies under the first phase of HPV vaccination in the country.
Experts have said the vaccination is key as Nigeria alone contributes an estimated 12,000 new cases of global cervical cancer and 8 thousand deaths annually.
Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director NPHCDA who stated this in Abuja, at a joint briefing with NAFDAC, explained that this translates to 33 new cervical cancer cases and 22 deaths every day in Nigeria.
Dr Shuaib noted that the vaccine was not just a medical advancement but a move to protect the health of young girls to live a productive and meaningful life.
According to him, the objective is to ensure 90% of young girls receive complete HPV vaccination by the age of 15, 70% of women undergo screening at both 35 and 45 years of age while 90 % of women identified with precancerous conditions receive appropriate treatment.
“Cervical cancer stands as the second most common cancer among women in Nigeria and the second most common cause of cancer related fatalities among women aged 15 to 49 years. HPV infection has been identified as a high-risk factor implicated in 95% of cervical cancer cases.
In Nigeria, one precious life is lost every day 2minutes to this preventable disease. Regrettably this disease runs among leading causes of cancer related deaths in 36 countries including Nigeria.
Dr Shuiab explained that the vaccine has been scientifically proven to be safe and effective in the prevention of HPV infection and reducing the risk of cervical cancer in girls.
He pointed out that the vaccine would be provided free of charge to all eligible girls in Nigeria commencing on October 24, 2023.
The NPHCDA Executive Director called on parents, care givers and guardians to make their daughters available for the vaccination within commences next week.
In her briefing, the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojishola Adeyeye gave the approval of the vaccine to be used for cervical cancer vaccination, saying the approval followed rigorous regulatory evaluation process.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization has recently updated its recommendations on HPV vaccination schedule and has advised that a single dose schedule can be used for girls aged 9-14 years and young women aged 15-20 years, instead of the previous two or three-dose schedules.
One of the benefits of the single dose approach include: reduced cost and logistical challenges of delivering multiple doses, especially in resource-limited settings.
Both UNICEF and WHO described the roll of the vaccine as a great milestone, and called on the media to dispel rumours and misinformation that might affect the exercise.
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