Plateau State Government has put mechanisms in place to commence the administration of the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV), vaccine in February 2024.
Dr Mafwalal Masok, Director of Public Health in the state’s Ministry of Health, disclosed this on Thursday, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Jos.
Masok defined the Human Papiloma Virus, as a sexually transmitted virus which was responsible for various types of cancers, including cancer of the cervix, vulva, anus and vagina. He said females, who were sexual active are susceptible to the virus.
According to him however, the HPV vaccine serves as a militant to the cancerous virus. He said the vaccine was safe, and like any other medicine or vaccine, had some side effects such as fever, dizziness, sourness/ redness of the arm on which the vaccine was administered.
The director said that based on the assessment of people that received the vaccine, only very few persons came down with some side effects. He however, explained that it was not a one dose vaccine, and depending on the brand and age, it could either be two or three doses, with an interval of two to six months.
Masok therefore, allayed the fears of the public that the vaccine was unsafe, maintaining that it was key to prevention of the virus. According to him, plans are on top gear to commence adequate sensitisation about the vaccine in Jos to Bukuru axis, as well as the 17 local government areas (LGAs) of the state.
The director emphasised that the vaccine was absolutely free of charge, and it was for girls between the ages of nine and 14. In a related development, the Benue State Government says it has constituted 952 teams to move round the 23 LGAs of the state to administer the vaccine.
The Director, Disease Control and Immunisation in the state’s Primary Health Care (PHC) Board, Joseph Korave, disclosed this to NAN on Thursday, in Makurdi. Korave said this was to ensure wider reach and effective implementation of the vaccine.
He, however, said the 952 teams were still not adequate for the programme, and called for support of private organisations and individuals to help government scale up the number for effective administration of the vaccine.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Umele, Senior Communications Officer, Eunice Spring of Life Foundation, said the foundation had taken sensitisation of the HPV vaccine to some selected media organisations and schools.
Umele, who also spoke with NAN on Thursday, in Makurdi, said the aim was to ensure that the message reached all the nooks and crannies of the state.
“The foundation took the advocacy to the media first to further drive home the message to a larger audience; and it was a success.
“The vaccine, which is for girls from ages nine to 14, was supposed to commence on October 24.
“Regrettably, the exercise has been put on hold without a specific date of commencement,” he said.
“The foundation’s efforts to prevent health challenges before they strike forms one of the major hallmarks of its intervention, and the current free vaccination campaign was one of such preventive advocacies,” Umele stated.
NAN reports that the vaccine was rolled out in Nigeria in October, to help mitigate the rise in cases of cervical cancer in Nigeria.