Jumoke Olasunkanmi
The Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB) has announced the successful administration of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to 484,761 girls aged nine to 14 in the last three months.
The campaign, which took place between October and December 2023, aimed to protect girls from the virus responsible for cervical cancer.
Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa, the Permanent Secretary of LSPHCB, acknowledged the challenges faced during the vaccination campaign, including misinformation and resistance from anti-vaccine campaigners.
However, through intensive public sensitization and media advocacy, the campaign was able to overcome vaccine hesitancy and ensure the successful administration of the HPV vaccines.
Despite the conclusion of the national campaign, Mustafa emphasized that the HPV vaccines are still readily available at Primary Health Care Centers for eligible girls.
He urged parents to take advantage of this opportunity, highlighting that the vaccine is free and provides crucial protection against HPV.
The federal government introduced the HPV vaccine into the country’s routine immunization system on October 24, to prevent cervical cancer among girls aged nine to 14. The vaccination campaign targeted 7.7 million girls, marking the largest number in a single round of HPV vaccination in Africa.
Mustafa stressed the importance of immunization as a cost-effective and proven tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening diseases, emphasizing, “Reducing the number of zero-dose children requires tailoring immunization services closer to those families and communities that were not being reached.”
