Anambra State Assembly Advocates Girl Child Vaccination Against Cervical Cancer
By Chinwe Onuigbo, Awka
The Anambra State House of Assembly has advocated vaccination of the girl child against cervical cancer.
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The legislators urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to direct the Commissioner for Health to sensitize Anambra people through various media, community and religious leaders on the need to vaccinate their girl child against cervical cancer at the various Primary Healthcare Centres in the state.
The member representing Ayamelum constituency Honourable Bernard Udemezue who was the chief sponsor of the motion stated that Cervical cancer kills an estimated 80,000 women in Africa annually.
According to Udemezue cervical cancer, a type of cancer that develops in a woman’s cervix, is the fourth most common cancer among women globally.
“Cervical cancer is the number two disease that kills many women in Nigeria and Anambra State is not an exception. The rate at which this disease terminates the life of the female gender in Nigeria calls for an urgent step to mitigate the uprise of this deadly disease. The introduction of the HPV vaccine will go a long way to protect women from the disease. Through the various media as well as religious and community leaders, who possess the power to disseminate critical information that can influence behaviour, dispel myths and encourage preventive practice, are key towards the drive for the vaccination of the girl child against cervical cancer in Anambra State. More campaign should be done especially at the rural areas to create awareness”,Udemezue stated.
Supporting the motion Honourable Nonso Atuchukwu, Hon. Emma Nwafor, Hon. Ejike Okechukwu, Hon. Kingsley Udemezue, Hon. Augustine Ike, Hon. Hon. Nobel Igwe, Hon. Patrick Okafor and Hon. Nkechi Ogbuefi all spoke on the importance of the motion.
Speaking on the motion, Anambra Speaker , Hon. Somto Udeze commended Hon. Bernard Udemezue, the sponsor of the motion for the initiative stating that it is the duty of every stakeholder in Anambra community to help educate our mothers, daughters on the importance of being vaccinated against the disease.
