By Dickson Omobola
The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, weekend, disclosed that the Federal Government will commence vaccination against human papillomavirus among girls between the ages of 9 and 15 by the last quarter of the year.
Speaking in Lagos during the grand finale of a cervical cancer prevention project themed: “2023 For Girls and Women, 4GW, Bootcamp,” Director of Research, NIMR, Professor Oliver Ezechi, said the programme will be initiated in 16 states and 10 other states will later partake.
Ezechi said: “By the time we complete this activity today between 22 and 23 people would have died from cervical cancer and another 28 would have been diagnosed with cervical cancer. This is a disease that is almost 100 percent preventable once we vaccinate girls who are between the ages of 9 and 15; and screen women who are between 30 and 65 years. Cervical cancer can be eradicated.
“A lot of cancers cannot be prevented, but this one, we know what causes it and how it can be prevented. Luckily for all of us, by the last quarter of this year the Federal Government is starting human papillomavirus vaccination among our young girls in 16 states of the country and another 10 will join later. I can tell you that once it starts, cervical cancer might disappear in the next 10 years because once you treat the human papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer, it will not develop in women.”
Also speaking, the President of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Dr Adamu Umar, added that the 4GW boot camp programme was all about women and cervical cancer.
Umar noted that the event was aimed at addressing health challenges that exist in our society, saying the awareness gap and vaccine hesitancy that is the attitude of most Nigerians make it a frontline country in the elimination of cervical cancer by the year 2030 in line with the World Health Organisation, WHO, target.
On his part, Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina, Joseph Tucker, said: “We need to seize the opportunity to do more self-sampling and vaccination for young girls. This activity is raising the profile of cervical cancer and spreading awareness about it. It also shows that there are many women with creative practical, feasible, and innovative ideas. This is cutting-edge cervical cancer prevention.” “HPV is all about prevention. Young girls need to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus and middle-aged women need to be screened for it, so that it can be detected early and cancer can be prevented.”
Source: Vanguard