Kogi State government says it has administered Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine on 284,750 women as part of efforts to prevent cervical cancer in the state.
The state government said the vaccine was administered by the Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA).
The Executive Director, KSPHCDA, Dr Musa Mu’azu, disclosed this on Monday at the 2nd Busayo Emmanuel Agbana Annual Memorial Lecture, organised by College of Health Science, Prince Abubakar Audu University, (PAAU), Anyigba, Kogi.
He said that Kogi launched the HPV vaccination implementation exercise on May 27, 2024, and had so far reached 284,750 eligible females, representing 99 per cent coverage of the target population.
He explained that the state had made appreciable achievements ranging from pre-implementation, implementation and post-implementation achievements and assured of government’s commitment to sustain the progress momentum.
He noted that the coordination team for the exercise had carried out advocacies, communications, and social mobilisation, as well as conducted training sessions for health workers and stakeholders.
“We have also developed a plan to make HPV vaccination a routine practice, trained health workers on vaccine handling, safety and management, and identified best practices and challenges.
“To sustain this momentum of progress, we must intensify advocacy, communication, social mobilisation activities, engaging media outlets and strengthening routine immunisation,” he said.
Mu’azu commended development partners, including WHO, UNICEF and others for their support.
In his remarks, Prof. Simon Akogu, Provost, College of Health Sciences, PAAU, Anyigba called for more action on cervical cancer screening and emphasised the importance of sensitising and training healthcare workers to conduct routine screenings.
According to Akogu, deliberate actions should be taken to increase awareness about cervical cancer among women and the public.
He emphasised the need to ensure that healthcare professionals were equipped to conduct screenings, interpret results and provide adequate treatment.
On her part, Prof. Marietu Tenuche, the Vice Chancellor of PAAU, lauded the effective collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the Agency, which she said had been instrumental in achieving success in the health sector.
Tenuche stressed the need for community engagement and participation in health initiatives.
She also emphasised the importance of health education and awareness in preventing diseases and promoting healthy lifestyles.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
