Kogi State Health Sector has started administering the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to girls age 9-14 years. The government has expressed its determination to improve the general wellbeing of its indigenes.
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In a message to the press, the First Lady of Kogi State, Mrs Sefinat Usman Ododo, declared that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the world, that she hopes young girls will cease the opportunity to be protected against the deadly disease.
During the flag-off ceremony held at the Government House, the wife of the Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Magret EleOjo Salifu representing the First Lady stated that, “As we all know that vaccines are taken to prevent the occurrence of diseases, the HPV vaccine we are launching today aims to protect our women from cervical cancer, the mode of transmission is through sexual intercourse and skin-to-skin contact. In Nigeria, cervical cancer is common, it is the second most common form of cancer after breast cancer, affecting women aged 15 to 44 years.”
She also reiterated that Governor Ahmed Ododo is working to meet the health needs of the people, calling on girls to turn out in large numbers to get vaccinated to avoid the disease.
On his part, the Executive Director of Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), Dr Abubakar Yakubu affirmed that the HPV vaccine is around to complement other global strategies in existence like the pap smear screening to reduce the burden of cervical cancer.
According to him, girls across the state will be widely covered under the program, that the agency will leave no one behind.
“For this campaign the target population for vaccination is 361,077 girls between the age bracket of 9-14 years for Kogi Sate. The State is aiming at the target population we have right here now as long as we are able to cover 80% of 361000 we are good to go. The State Primary Health Care Development Agency is very familiar and grounded,” he added.
The Commissioner for Health Dr Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health Dr Femi Barnabas.
Also, staff of the ministry, Health Care personnel from WHO, UNICEF as well as Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, other stakeholders were present and active at the flag-off ceremony.
