The Lagos State government says it will get no fewer than 80 per cent of the girls between the ages of nine and 14 years immunised with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine before December 2024.
The Immunisation Coordinator of the State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB), Dr Akinpelu Adetola, stated this on Tuesday at a two-day media dialogue on HPV vaccine organised by LSPHCB, in partnership with UNICEF.
Adeola said a special team has been empanelled to target out-of-school girls and those in the orphanage, as part of efforts to reduce their chances of developing cervical cancer.
According to him, the idea is to ensure that no young girl is left behind from being protected against cervical cancer, by getting them vaccinated before they become sexually active.
“By December 2024, it will be fully routinised into the system, and it’s a one-off vaccine for girls between ages nine and 14, which is available at every government healthcare facility across the state for free,” he said.
In her presentation, a Social and Behavioural Change Specialist with UNICEF, Aderonke Akinlola-Akinwole, stressed the need for key stakeholders to leverage their individual platforms to make people understand the virus and the vaccination against it.
Akinlola-Akinwole underscored the importance of early vaccination as a means of ensuring total eradication of HPV.
“Vaccination against HPV is an act of protecting, not just the individual but also, the entire community.
“Prevention is better, cheaper and wiser than cure. It is cheaper to vaccinate against HPV than treating cervical cancer.
“For early diagnosis and treatment, women of reproductive age and above are encouraged to go for screening,” she added.
