ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Government has announced that a total of 328,323 eligible girls were vaccinated against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) during the recent statewide campaign conducted from May 27th to June 2nd, 2024.
This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Paul Yinkore, during the HPV vaccination review meeting held on Friday.
He commended the Expanded Technical Working Group, which included key contributions from the Ministries of Information, Education, Women Affairs, and religious groups, for their collective efforts in ensuring the campaign’s success. Dr. Yinkore revealed that the state achieved a 91% immunisation rate of the target population, girls aged 9 to 14 years.
Addressing concerns and misconceptions surrounding the HPV vaccine, Dr. Yinkore firmly debunked the myth that the vaccine could cause infertility in girls. He stressed that the HPV vaccine is a critical step in preventing cervical cancer, as it reduces the risk of developing the disease by 90%.
He further addressed the issue of vaccine hesitancy among some parents and caregivers, saying, “Vaccines are proven medical interventions that prevent diseases and infections. It is always better to prevent illness through vaccination than to seek a cure later. All vaccines are safe, effective, and free.”
Despite the success of the campaign, 44,016 eligible girls were not vaccinated due to resistance from their parents.
In her remarks, Mrs. Chinese Okonkwo, the state lead of Girl Effect, emphasised the importance of the HPV vaccine in safeguarding the health and future of the girl child. She noted that HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide and can cause not only cervical cancer but also other forms of cancer, such as anal, genital, and head and neck cancers
“Receiving the HPV vaccine at a young age, before the onset of sexual activity, is essential in protecting against these infections,” she stated. Mrs. Okonkwo called on parents and guardians to ensure their daughters are vaccinated as part of the routine immunisation schedule and encouraged women to undergo regular Pap smear screenings.
Representatives from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Michael Emeshili, and the Ministry of Information, Mr. Giovanni Emephia, echoed the call for improved sensitisation efforts. They appealed to the health agency for timely communication of future vaccination schedules to enhance public awareness and participation.
The review meeting focused on addressing the successes, challenges, and outcomes of the HPV immunisation campaign, with a renewed emphasis on increasing vaccine uptake in the future.
