The Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), has sensitised the relevant stakeholders on the upcoming Human Paplomavirus (HPV) vaccination against cervical cancer across the state.
Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday in Lokoja, the Project Manager, State Emergency Routine Immunization Coordination Centre (SERICC), Hajia Khadijat Garba, said the HPV vaccination would effectively prevent cervical cancer.
She said the meeting was to interface with the relevant stakeholders and educate them on the introduction of HPV vaccines in the state as a preventative measure against cervical cancer.
According to her, the targeted beneficiaries of HPV vaccination are girls between ages 9-14 years in this phase of vaccination.
“We want all stakeholders in Kogi including traditional and religious leaders, education officials, media, CSOs, MDAs and various groups, to get involved in HPV vaccination awareness campaign.
“The HPV vaccination will protect our girls against the deadly cervical cancer, and that is why we are calling on all stakeholders’ in the state to get involved in the campaign.
“Our target is to achieve minimum 90 per cent success of HPV Vaccination in Kogi,” Garba said.
She commended leaders of Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) both at the state and national levels for their commitment towards a successful HPV vaccination in Kogi.
The stakeholders in their various comments, commended the Federal and State Governments as well as the donor partners for making the HPV vaccines available and accessible to girl child in Kogi.
The Chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi council, Ademu Seidu, assured the agency of the total support of the media practitioners in educating the general public for effective participation.
HRH, the Ohiogba of Mozum Kingdom and Provost Kogi State Council of Chiefs, King Khalid Bukar ll, stressed the need for thorough sensitisation to ensure that every girl child get vaccinated in Kogi.
The royal father promised to mobilise other traditional rulers in the state to ensure that they sensitise the people in their domains and communities.
He implored the health officers who would work on the field to give adequate attention to the people during the HPV vaccination process.
Mallam Zakariya Aliyu from Council of Ulama’u of Nigeria; and Pastor Sunday Fagbenro from Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), both promised to mobilised other religious leaders and worshippers for the HPV vaccination.