Minna: Niger state Ministry of Primary Healthcare has successfully vaccinated 444,658 girls against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) in its recent vaccination campaign.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the state launched a comprehensive campaign aiming to inoculate over 500,000 girls against HPV, which is recognized as the most common sexually transmitted infection.
Mr. Daniel Jiya, the Director of Food and Drugs and Project Manager of the State Emergency Routine Immunisation Coordination Centre (SERICC), revealed this progress during a vaccination review meeting in Minna. He noted that this accomplishment places Niger State third in Nigeria’s HPV vaccination efforts. The campaign specifically targeted girls aged 9-14, as they are at a critical age for effective prevention.
Jiya highlighted the severe impact of cervical cancer, which claims approximately 8,000 lives annually in Nigeria, making up 95 percent of female cancer deaths. He emphasized the importance of the HPV vaccine, which is both safe and
effective in preventing cervical cancer. The meeting aimed to review the progress of the HPV vaccine rollout, enhance collaboration among stakeholders, and address challenges in vaccine delivery.
He pointed out that immunisation is the safest and most cost-effective method to combat such diseases, urging the public to promote vaccination to ensure widespread protection for children. The meeting also sought to identify and overcome obstacles in vaccine service delivery and strengthen stakeholder involvement.
However, Jiya acknowledged that the campaign faced challenges, primarily the low uptake of the vaccine due to misconceptions and limited awareness among the population.
In a goodwill message, Gerida Birukila, Chief of Field Office at UNICEF Kaduna, praised the stakeholders’ efforts and encouraged ongoing awareness initiatives to reach areas that were missed during the campaign. Andrea Okeke-Ewewi, a representative from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), also commended the efforts that led to t
he vaccination of over 400,000 eligible girls in Niger State.