The Nasarawa State Government says plans are on the way to vaccinate girls between the ages of 9-14 years against cervical and breast cancers.
Dr. Mohammed Addis, Executive Secretary, Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NAPHDA), made this known at a meeting involving all stakeholders on Thursday in Lafia.
Represented at the occasion by Ismaila Oko, Programme Manager, State Emergency Routine Immunisation Coordination Centre, Addis said the state is among the 16 states in the country selected for the first phase of the implementation of the vaccine.
According to him, the vaccine has been procured and it is currently stored in the state for onward distribution to various centres.
He commended Gov. Abdullahi Sule of the state as well as Dr. Fa’Isal Shua’Ib, the Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, for their roles towards ensuring the availability of the vaccine.
Oko, on his part, said cervical and breast cancers account for almost 50 per cent of all cancer-related mortality.
“Based on the National Demographic Health Survey conducted in 2018, cervical and breast cancer account for about 50 per cent of cancer-related mortality.
“And the survey also revealed that out of 10 women diagnosed with cancer, only two are likely to survive at the end of the day,” he stated.
The programme manager said that it was the result of the survey that prompted the Federal Government and other partners to develop the vaccine.
He said that the vaccine would be administered for seven days in all communities in the 13 local government areas of the state.
He explained that their staff would visit houses, schools and worship centres within the period to ensure that the targeted girls are given the vaccine.
Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, Director, Health Education and Social Mobilisation at the NAPHDA, said the stakeholders’ meeting was aimed at carrying community leaders along in the project, saying the community leaders are expected to help in enlightening the public on the introduction of the new vaccine.
He added that the vaccine had passed the clinical examinations and was approved by all the relevant agencies at the international and national levels.
He added that the vaccine is certified and cleared by the relevant authorities and therefore safe for use.
The meeting has in attendance representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’Atu Nasril Islam (JNI), media, LGA Coordinators of the National Orientation Agency, and Heads of Primary Healthcare Centres from the LGAs among others.
