The Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, LSPHCD, is finalising plans to introduce the Human Papilomavirus vaccine against cervical cancer.
The target population are girls from age 9 to 14, the Director of Health Education and Health Promotion Services of the board, Mrs Clara Owojuyigbe made this known at a media parley in Lagos.
The United Nations Children Funds, UNICEF, said that cancer of the uterine cervix, commonly known as cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally and the second most common cancer among women in Nigeria.
Owojuyigbe emphasised the need to prevent the growing cases of cervical cancer in the country even as she urged parents to use the opportunity to ensure that their girl child between the ages of 9 and 14 are available for the vaccination in order to prevent them from getting cervical cancer in the future.
She stated that the immunity of the vaccine which she called Gardasil, does not wear out over time, only one dose confers life time.
“I am appealing to parents, religious leaders and community leaders to bring their children for HPV vaccination from Sept. 25 to Sept. 30.
“The vaccine is expensive but the government is making it available for pre-teen girls for free”, she said.
Credible News reports that the first phase of the vaccination for pre-teen girls will be carried out in 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The states are Lagos, Nassarawa, Kano, Jigawa, Enugu, Abia, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa, Kebbi, Osun and Ogun.
