EDO STATE GOVERNMENT SET TO LAUNCH THE HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS VACCINATION CAMPAIGN ON MAY 27TH 22-05-24
By Sadiq Aminu Edo State government is set to launch the Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination campaign on May 27th, Children’s Day.
The launch of the Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination campaign which is being carried out by the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and SUBEB, will also mark the introduction of HPV vaccine into the routine immunization schedule.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Samuel Alli disclosed this in an interview with Africa 247 in Benin on the readiness of government to roll out the vaccine, as earlier planned to commence in the second quarter of the year.
Dr Alli noted that Edo state is the pilot state to flag-off the HPV Vaccination campaign in the South -South Region, which is why all preparations are in top gear to commence the programme.
According to the Commissioner for Health, the vaccine, to be administered to girls of ages 9 to 14 years, is a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.
Dr Alli explained that cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women, caused by the Human Papilloma Virus and transmitted through sexual activities, hence the need for the vaccination in order to catch them young.
Dr Alli debunked misconceptions around the vaccination to reduce population and infertility, stating the information was not true, calling on the populace to refute such claims.
Still speaking on the HPV vaccination, the Executive Secretary, Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Omosigho Izedonmwen represented by the Health Education Officer, Mrs Irene Uabor told Africa 247 that the event which will hold in Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, is to be flagged off by the First Lady, Mrs Betsy Obaseki and will hold simultaneously in all the eighteen local government areas of the state.
Dr. Omosigho Izedonmwen said the outreach vaccination will last for a period of five days, which afterwards, it becomes routinized where young girls of ages 9 to 14years can access the vaccine in all primary health care centres across the state.
He buttressed that already at the state level, health workers and other relevant stakeholders, especially in the education sector have been trained for the exercise.
According to the Executive Secretary, health workers will visit schools, and other strategic places like markets, motor parks, churches , mosque to vaccinate out of school children of the target age group.
Dr. Omosigho Izedonmwen appealed to parents and school proprietors to cooperate with the health workers by bringing out their children for vaccination for their own benefit and to reduce the scourge of cervical cancer infection and deaths.