Cervical Cancer: FG, UNICEF flag-off vaccination of 48,000 girls in Bauchi state

The National HealthCare Development Agency in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bauchi Field Office, have flagged off the vaccination of 48,000 girls against cervical cancer in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi state.

Speaking during the exercise on Thursday, Mrs Aishatu Labaran, UNICEF’s Toro Local Government Facilitator, said that the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination was for girls within the age of nine to 14 years, adding that the exercise would be conducted for three weeks.

According to her, UNICEF had sensitised the religious, traditional leaders, teachers and more than 100 schools in the area on the importance of the vaccine and the dangers of cervical cancer, hence, the high level of acceptance of the vaccination.

“The acceptance of the vaccine is a bit high unlike that of polio. There is less rumour and less non compliance in this HPV vaccination,” she said.

Labaran, who said that the vaccination would be introduced into the routine immunisation, called on the local government authorities in the state to emphasize on community engagement as this would enhance creation of awareness.

Also speaking, Mr Malami Danjuma, Health Education Officer, Toro LGA, said that in the first two days of the HPV vaccination campaign, over 13,000 girls had been vaccinated so far across the LGA.

He attributed the turnout to the vigorous campaigns embarked upon by members of the LGA Volunteer Community Mobilizers (VCM), mama2mama and others involved in the pre-rollout activities.

The LGA Health Educator said that the importance of the vaccination in the prevention of cervical cancer among women of reproductive age could not be overemphasised.

He lauded UNICEF and other donor agencies for the vaccine and other logistics support for the success of the campaign.

In her remarks, The Director, Primary Healthcare, Toro LGA, Mrs Rahmatu Ishiaku, appreciated the federal government, UNICEF and other donor agencies for making the ‘life saving’ exercise a reality.

“People are happy to receive the vaccine and in fact, they are even demanding for it and if it doesn’t reach them, they are coming out to where the vaccination is taking place”. She said.