World Health Organisation (WHO) says it has invested over $50,000 in the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination campaign for girls aged nine to 14 years in Yobe.
The WHO State Coordinator, Dr Alhassan Hamisu, disclosed this during the inauguration of the campaign on Tuesday in Damaturu.
He said the fund would support pre-implementation trainings, implementation and post-implementation activities, including post-campaign monitoring and spot-checks.
Hamisu added that “this investment is in addition to WHO’s ongoing support for the state’s response to Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM), residual diphtheria outbreak and routine support to healthcare system.”
The coordinator explained that HPV vaccination campaign is to protect girls aged 9-14 years from the harmful effects of cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is the growth of cells that starts in the cervix, the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina and various strains of the HPV play a role in causing most cervical cancers.
The coordinator added that over the next five days, 565 schools and community teams would work together to vaccinate eligible girls across the state, both in schools and out-of-school campuses.
He reiterated WHO’s commitment to support the Yobe Government’s efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of the people, emphasising the organisation’s role as the global technical lead for health.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Lawan Gana, said the vaccine is safe to humans and effective in
protecting against HPV infection.
“HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world, and a leading cause of cervical cancer among women,” he added.
He noted that cervical cancer in Nigeria is recognised as the most common cancer and the second most frequent cause of deaths among women aged between 35 and 44 years.
“It is on this note that Yobe coordinates and collaborates with all stakeholders at all levels to ensure that all eligibles girls aged 9 to 14 years are actually reached with the single shot of the HPV Vaccine,” Gana said. (NAN)
