Health

Cervical Cancer: Lagos govt begins free HPV vaccination for girls

The Lagos State Government is set to commence vaccination of young girls aged between 9 and 14 years in the state against Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

The wife of the state governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, will perform the inauguration on Monday at the Surulere Local Government Secretariat.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Ibrahim Akinwunmi Mustafa, made this disclosure in a statement on Sunday.

According to him, Human Papillomavirus is sexually transmitted and is the causative agent of cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases such as skin and genital warts.

Quoting the 2018 NDHS Report, he said up to 19 percent of women, who initiate sexual intercourse by the age of 15 years have an increased risk of contracting the HPV infection.

He said schools and primary health centers have been earmarked as vaccination centers for wider and faster coverage.

The Permanent Secretary, who highlighted that the objective of the HPV vaccination is to give all eligible girls injectable HPV vaccine into the arm, for protection against cervical cancer, hereby solicits the support of all stakeholders including parents, guardians, community and religious leaders to ensure all girls in that age bracket are vaccinated during the campaign.

He noted that the vaccination is a nationwide exercise with the aim of preventing 71,000 deaths attributed to the virus annually.

While noting that the vaccination at an early age is highly important as it provides the best protection, Ibrahim said the routine immunisation services would also be available at the Primary Healthcare Centres across the 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas of the state during the campaign.

He declared that the vaccine is not only free and safe but also highly effective.

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