The Ekiti State Government, on Monday in Ado-Ekiti flagged off the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, the programme aimed at protecting girl-child between the age limit of 9-14 years against Cervical Cancer,
Speaking while flagging of the programme, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services in the state, Dr Oyebanji Fulani, said the programme which is a nationwide exercise, targeted at stimulating the body’s immune system to produce antibodies against the HPV among the girl-child.
Dr Filani explained that the exercise undertaking by the Ekiti State Primary Health Care Agency, also reiterated the benefit of the vaccine, saying that it is safe and healthy towards the elimination of cervical cancer.
He tasked parents and guardians to embrace the vaccine by encouraging their wards to participate in the exercise, saying that it will end the menace of cervical cancer among the girl-child. According to him, no fewer than 300,000 girl-child between the age of 9-14 years will benefit from the exercise which will cut across all the primary healthcare facilities in the State.
His words: “HPV helps to prevent cervical cancer, the cervical cancer is one of the deadly cancers that affects women. HPV helps to prevent the cervical cancer.
“The idea of the HPV vaccine is the prevention and it’s similar to some other vaccines that children have taken when they were much younger. Whether it’s the polio vaccine or the measles vaccine or any of the other vaccines, this vaccine will be given starting from children within the age of 9 and 14.
“I would like to encourage all mothers and fathers that this is a vaccine that has been properly checked by NAFDAC. It has been certified by the Federal Ministry of Health and certified by the State.
“Also, if you go to any of our primary health centres, it is free. It is free as the same with all other of our vaccines. If you walk into any of our facilities to get the vaccine, you could guarantee that.”
Similarly, the Director General of the Primary Health Care Development Agency in Ekiti State, Dr Ayodele Seluwa, described the vaccine as a huge investment in the lives of the girl-child who he said were future generations.
According to him; “Immunization services is not new in any environment. This is a new innovation. The issue of HPV came on board and we want to make sure that we invest in this. Our investment is for the future not this present time.
“We need to really guide against it in this period of their early stages. The best time to give this injection is the ages between 9-14 years. We are talking about the future investment and the emergence of cervical cancer has been defeated.
“To really make sure that we sustain this, we will integrate it into the routine immunization services so that when you visit any health centre, definitely this will be part of it. After this campaign, you will have this vaccine in our facilities.”
The HPV vaccine, which is free will be given to girls aged 9-14 years in primary health facilities, schools and communities across 21 states of the federation including Ekiti State.
The programme flagged- off amidst fanfare held at the Oluyemi Kayode Statdium, Ado-Ekiti was attended by the officials of the Primary Health Care Agency, Ekiti State, representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) health officials from the Ekiti State Ministry of Health aming others,