NIGERIA has successfully vaccinated seven million girls across the country against cervical cancer, a prevalent disease among young women. This achievement comes as part of a two-week vaccination programme, a significant move toward safeguarding girls and women from this life-threatening illness.
The initiative is backed by the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, in collaboration with Nigeria’s Ministry of Health, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
‘It’s a major breakthrough in girls’ health in Nigeria. In just two weeks, an impressive 7 million girls have been vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV),’ said Sania Nishtar, the chief executive officer of the vaccine alliance.
HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection, with high-risk strains capable of progressing to cervical cancer.
In October 2023, Nigeria launched the first phase of the HPV vaccine as part of its routine immunization efforts to combat cervical cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the country.
Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate stated that the vaccine targets girls aged nine to fourteen, aiming to provide early protection against the virus.
The WHO highlights that cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer among women in Nigeria, underscoring the importance of this widespread vaccination campaign.
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