Stakeholders in the health sector in Bauchi and Jigawa States have expressed satisfaction over the high turnout in the ongoing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination exercise in the states.
The stakeholders including health experts, activists and government officials, spoke while reacting to the HPV vaccination exercise in Bauchi and Dutse.
They said the feat would enhance awareness on the symptoms, preventive tips and case management of the diseases in the country.
Mr Malami Danjuma, the Health Education Officer in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, said the state witnessed impressive turnout in the ongoing HPV vaccination exercise, especially at the grassroots.
He said that about 31,350 out of the 48,000 targeted girls had been inoculated against the virus to protect them against Cervical cancer when they reached reproductive age.
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“We are even running out of vaccines because of the high turnout,” he said.
Danjuma attributed the feat to effective sensitisation activities by the Volunteer Community Mobilisers (VCM), groups and others engaged in the pre-rollout activities.
Also, Dr Emmmanuel Emedo, UNICEF’s Health Specialist, Bauchi Field Office, said the organisation deployed monitoring teams to facilitate the smooth conduct of the exercise.
He said the organisation in collaboration with the state government, World Health Organisation (WHO), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other partners was monitoring the exercise across the 20 LGAs of the state.
“The reports we are getting is that there is impressive turnout across the entire state and this has to do with the level of preparedness.
“More importantly, the parents and caregivers, the schools where we find the girls within the age group.
“We also engaged the youths to pass the information, educate their peers and mobilise them for the campaign,” he said.
Mrs Mary Paul, Assistant Headmaster, Al-Ihsan Mallawa Primary School Academy, Toro, said that HPV vaccine was administered to about 98 per cent of the girls in the school.
While commending the gesture, Paul called for the expansion of the programme to private schools to mobilise participation in the exercise. More so; about 65,000 girls were being targeted for the HPV vaccination in Jigawa State.
Also, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Jiagawa State, said it has sensitised people to mobilise participation in the HPV vaccination in the state.
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Its Director, Malam Shuaibu Karamba, said the agency engaged community and religious leaders in the sensitisation exercise conducted between October 24 and 28 across the 27 LGAs of the state.
He said that health-seeking behaviour if supported by religious teachings, propels wider acceptance by the people.
The NOA official said that such awareness creation would address misinformation and misconceptions about the HPV vaccine.
HPV is the most common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), it is usually harmless and goes away by itself, but some types can lead to cancer or genital warts, according to Planned Parenthood Organisation. The disease infects the genital area including vulva; vagina, cervix, rectum, anus, penis, scrotum, mouth and throat.
Other types of HPV cause common diseases like hand and plantar warts on the feet – but these aren’t sexually transmitted. Some of the diseases could be prevented by the vaccine, while others could be chronic and require a medical diagnosis to cure.
In Nigeria, more than 1.5 million cases of HPV are being recorded annually.
The exercise is billed to hold simultaneously between October and November, across 16 selected states in the country.
