School Girls Receive Free HPV Vaccines in Cross River State

As part of efforts to prevent the spread of the Human pipilomavirus amongst women and girls, more than 500 girls have been vaccinated in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, southern Nigeria.

The HPV vaccines was donated courtesy of the Pink Africa Foundation, a foremost non-profit organisation dedicated to the fight against all types of cancers amongst people in Nigeria and beyond.

While flagging off the vaccination programme, Reverend Otu, who is also the Chairperson First Ladies against cancer (FLAC), commended Pink Africa Foundation for taking the initiative to vaccinate young girls against the deadly virus, which is one of the leading cause of cervical cancer amongst women.

Otu said, “The Human papillomavirus is a leading cause of cervical cancer, which affects thousands of women worldwide. It is vital that we take proactive measures to safeguard the health of our girls. By providing free HPV vaccinations to girls aged 6 to 14, we are taking a significant step towards preventing cervical cancer and ensuring a brighter future for our daughters.”

Speaking further, Mrs Otu, represented by the Special Adviser Administration, Dr. Comfort Oko said, “By immunizing our young girls early, we can break the cycle of this devastating illness.

“The HPV vaccine has been proven to be safe and effective, offering long-term protection against the virus and reducing the risk of cervical cancer by up to 90 percent.”

Medical Advancement

Also speaking, the founder, Pink Africa Foundation, Dr. Nchewi Ani reiterated that the Human papillomavirus was 95 percent the cause of cervical cancer, which is a leading cancer death only second to breast cancer amongst Nigerian women.

Dr. Elemi, who was represented by Pastor Gedah Etefia, hinted that the risk population for the spread of HPV was the girls within the ages of 8 to 15, which was the reason for providing the free vaccination.

She recalled, “In 2018, 28 Nigerian women died from cervical cancer every day, resulting to a total of more than 10,000 deaths. The statistics are alarming for a preventable disease. But, today marks the beginning of our collective effort in the fight against this monster that has claimed the lives of women worldwide.”

She also described the introduction of the HPV vaccine as a medical advancement and global beacon of hope. Hope for our daughters, sisters, mothers, and future grandmothers that they might be spared from the pain and loss that so many have endured. The vaccine is a gift to all women.

In a remark, the Commissioner for Health Cross River State, Dr. Egbe Ayuk said that the HPV was key to eradicating cervical cancer and the Cross River State government was committed to the partnership with relevant organisations to end the menace in the state.

Ayuk in vivid terms explained to the school girls present at the ceremony the mode of transmission of the Human pipilomavirus, stating that, “The virus is transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse especially amongst young girls engaged in early premarital sex. In some communities, children as young as 8 are at risk and should be protected.”

He advised parents and guardians to invest more in the moral education of their children, while emphasizing the importance of sex education as a preventive measures for children against sexually transmitted infections.

The vaccination exercise, which attracted more than 300 secondary school girls in company of their teachers and mother’s, featured poetry on the benefits of abstinence, courage in the face of violence and accessing proper medical services.