BREAKING: Kogi govt, NGO to launch vaccination against cervical cancer

As part of its overall health care development programmes, the Kogi State Government, in collaboration with a Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, John Stow Incorporated, JSI, is set to roll out the Human Papillomavirus, HPV Vaccine to check the devastation of cervical cancer in the state.

This was disclosed at a media roundtable organized by JSI and Kogi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, KSPHCDA, in Lokoja on Tuesday. HPV Vaccine Acceleration Programme Partners Initiative, HAPPI, project is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with technical support from JSI.

The Focal Person for Social Behavioural Change, JSI, Kannah Ibrahim, called attention to dangers of HPV and charged participants to use their various media platforms to create awareness and sensitise the public on its prevention.

He said more than 600,000 victims were affected by the disease in 2020 worldwide, with most of them coming from developing countries, adding that JSI has marked out a comprehensive program to check its advance in Nigeria.

He explained that even though the disease affects mostly women of all ages, the program is targeted only at girls between ages 9 to 14 in all the states of the Federation and Abuja because of shortage of funds.

JSI media consultant Mary Okpodu, who presented a paper on “Ethical Reporting On Cervical Cancer,”urged the media to adhere to moral principles, professional standards, and social values in their reports warning them against sensational headlines

“Let us see how best we can make the HPV vaccination work in using our various media platforms to prevent cervical cancer. We must own the process through thorough sensitisation and mobilisation,” she said.

In her presentation, with the title: “Understanding the Cervical Cancer Disease Burden In Nigeria,” a Consultant with KSPHCDA, Dr Mary Alexander, said that cervical and breast cancers remained the most common among women in developing countries.

Alexander said the HPV vaccine would provide long-lasting protection against HPV infections and associated diseases, urging the targeted beneficiaries to take advantage of it.